


Crashing into a Norse God

by TFALokiwriter



Category: Thor (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Love Story
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-22
Updated: 2014-12-14
Packaged: 2018-02-14 07:42:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 34
Words: 59,542
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2183523
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TFALokiwriter/pseuds/TFALokiwriter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is set in  a Alternate Universe where Loki is good and Thor is bad. The year is 2011. Crashing into a Norse God wasn't a goal in Joy's life,or better yet; not planned. When she does,she opens a can of worms meeting the one and only Loki Laufeyson. Turns out Loki was banished to her realm.The loophole to this banishment; Loki can end this banishment, if he learns what love is. </p>
<p>But Love is known to be slow.</p>
<p>And there are times when admitting it is too late.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Accidential Hit

“I’m not adopted!” Joy slaps the driving wheel, her voice in clear distress.

It’s pouring rain outside her jeep. Joy is a young woman in her twenties; probably twenty-six since she looks old enough to fit the age. It’s very true for an individual like Joy J. Lawson on this planet. Joy has an odd pair of glasses on which is something a woman wouldn’t wear on a rainy day. Her hair is jumbled up in a mess. A cat could have seen her fingers are slippery and trembling.

Joy’s eyes squeezed shut briefly as the window wipes went back and forth getting rid of the water on the window shield.

“I’m not adopted.” Joy  cries,re-opening her eyes.

Joy glances at a silver object hanging from a thread dangling from the rear view mirror.

“I can’t be.” Joy said in denial, as she wipes a tear off under the odd glasses.

And then the craziest thing in Joy’s life happened.  A man hit the window shield—his back first—which conflicted the window shield wipers by bumping into his shoulders and then he fell off. Joy’s eyes grew huge as though someone told her the Easter Bunny is real. Her jaw fell open when the initial shock had come over.

“What the hell!” Joy’s jeep spun in circles on the road across from the man who had landed on her window shield. A minute later she came to a halt across from a unconscious figure.  “I’m a good driver.”

She looks stunned and tensed up.

“Count to three.” Joy tells herself, putting her jeep into park mode. “One  .  . two  .  . three.”

She takes a breath, and then exhales.

 “Oh damn it, Joy. ” Joy slaps her forehead, while shaking it both ways. She makes an over-exaggerated groan. “You just hit a man.”

Joy gets out of the vehicle taking a spare umbrella. She slammed her jeep door hard. Then she took a few hesitative steps forward. After all she is the only woman on the road. Well in Wisconsin people wouldn’t go on the road anyway. But unlike most people in Wisconsin in America; Joy had driven in the rain. There is was not a sight of headlights coming forwards.

“Are you okay?” Joy shouts, standing a few feet away from the figure on the road.

Pitter patter platter went the rain on the road.

“Urgh.” The man replied with a groan.

Joy shifts her shoes together, trying to decide what to do next. She came to a conflicting solution. Joy sighs, muttering to herself about some fictional character known widely in the multimedia world. Joy comes to the man while thinking; _I do not want to see a horrifying image in my brain until the day I die._  Then after coming to the man, Joy turns him over facing her direction.

 The man is apparently unconscious.

Joy tilts her head after observing him in the rain.

“Is he engineered to look good?” Joy thought outloud.

 The man looks young, well dressed, and attractive.

“I shouldn’t be thinking Bingo.” Joy said, looking down at the man.

Joy looks both ways just to make sure nobody is coming. Then, acting as a concerned Citizen, she some-how managed to get him into her jeep. Well she put him in the back. Joy shuts the driver door. Sometimes being over-reactive; such as news that she’s adopted, did really come in handy. In a way the bad news did have a bright side.

 She heard the man groan.

“Candy always works.” Joy grabs a candy box and then threw it on the man’s back.

That candy box has her name on it. Then Joy drove to the hospital and dropped him off thinking he might have internal injuries from that little incident. Joy gave the candy box to the nurse and instructed her to give it to the man once he woke up. What little did Joy know who she had hit; he is a god.Loki, the God of Mischief, and he happened to be stranded on Earth for a while. Why? Time would only tell.


	2. Scared?

**** _“Loki.” Odin said._

_Loki turns away from the gigantic window exposing the dark sky with stars that may be realms. He had been busy tuning out the argument Thor and Odin had been sharing about Fandral’s injuries and the visit to Jotunhiem. Loki had successfully learned to tune out conversations like these._

_“Father.” Thor pleads. “It was my fault—“_

_“Enough is enough.” Odin interjects. “The one responsible here is Loki,my son.”_

_Thor looks away from Odin._

_“Yes, Father?” Loki said._

_“I hereby banish you to Midgard until you learn what love is.” Odin said, as Loki’s face remained calm and innocent. The next minute Loki’s face turned into confusion. Thor is visibly confused how Loki doesn’t know what love is. “You will not be able to enter.”_

_His fury is quite loud and booming. Loki is shocked why he’s punishing him._

_“You’re unworthy of these powers; UNWORTHY.” Odin stresses as Loki is closed to the Bifrost portal. “Your magic will not work on Midgard; not until you learn what love is. Tricking your brother into arrogantly declaring war on Jotunheim by attacking, nearly losing Fandral, and betraying the ones you’ve loved. I,Odin Allfather, CAST YOU OUT.”_

Loki awoke on a bed.

“Where am I?” Loki looks around, squinting his eyes at the absurdly white walls. His eyes adjusted to the new change in color. There’s a window that shows a grassy hill with streets and buildings. He quickly found an answer to his question.  “Midgard.”

Loki snaps his fingers at the window.

“I can’t use magic .  .  .”  Loki observes, looking down to his lap. _Until I learn this foolish ‘love’._ His eyebrows furrowed together as he looks to the counter. “Hm?”

Loki picks up the small candy box. He looks at the scrawny writing on the paper that read ‘For J.J.” and something about “Joy” in red ink.Loki looks up at the ceiling recalling how he didn’t get burnt by the Jotunheim warrior. _I forgot to ask Father,_ Loki shook his head with a sigh. How did Odin find out it was him who persuaded Thor into going?

“Who is this Joy?” Loki asks himself. His shoulders elevate upwards. “Odd name for a mortal.”

Loki gets up from the bed. He heard a crack  from his back while straightening himself up.

“What did I land on?” Loki said, with a ‘what the hell’ look and groans as he looks to the ceiling.

His clothes were neatly folded on a chair beside the bed. Loki picks up his clothes noting how dressed in a bathroom connected to the room. His legs didn’t feel so cramped, stiff, and hard. This is probably because how often he ran on Asgard when-ever his plans backfired. After getting dressed our goody two shoes Norse God went to the nurse at a desk.

“Who left me here?” Loki asks the nurse.

The Nurse wiggled her nose, with an old pair of glasses on the bridge of her nose.

“She prefered to be anonymous.” The Nurse said.

Loki narrows his eyes at her.

“Anonymous?” Loki said the word like it was a question.

“Yes.” The Nurse repeats herself. “You are an interesting case of  . . . _really_ steel skin. She didn’t want her name to be—“

“That’s funny.” Loki sarcastically said. “I know her name is Joy.”

The Nurse gasps as her face turns completely white and her hands went on both sides of her cheeks.

“You can’t possibly have known this!” The Nurse said in a low voice after she puts her hands down.

Loki could tell she has some arthritis in her hands—it’s developing slowly though—obviously.

“I have this.” Loki holds the candy box.

The Nurse’s white eyes grew wide.

Loki opens it, and eats some candy—after he unwrapped it—from the box.

The Nurse’s face changes to a  ‘oh crap’. Then she sighs, with the sound of a defeated intelligent woman in her voice. Loki chews--with his mouth closed—on the candy bar. Loki held an index finger up when one of the people had a question. Loki did this ever so polite-ly. He has a ‘tell me’ reaction.

______                                                      ____

  .  .  . 4:35 PM  .  .  .

  .  .  Joy’s House  .  .  .

“No.” Joy said, walking away from an older man. “You are not my dad.”

“But I raised you!” This Man is Oratio Lawson. Oratio raises his voice.

Joy turns around.

“You are _not_ my dad.”  Joy said with a growl in her voice. “All these years  .  . .” Her voice is inked in betrayal.  “It came to you. That I am a simple girl who can be taken in and persuaded her that she was adopted through an adoption agency? NO.” She stomped her foot.  “I wasn’t adopted through that way. I was found! Mother gave me the papers to prove it. She gave me it.”

Joy waves the papers in Oratio’s broad view.

Oratio takes a step back.

“I didn-t-“ Oratio began to say.

“Didn’t think it was time until mother told me?” Joy said, with a hiss.  “Right before she died in my arms while you were cheating on her?”

“I was on important business.” Oratio said.  “I was at work.”

Joy takes off her weird glasses.

“I’m blind as a bat thanks to not taking me to the doctor.” Joy’s eyes look weird and not really normal. “I never have gone to the Doctor. These glasses are the only kinds that work without going to the Doctor. It makes sense why you insisted I didn’t go to the hospital and you treated me like a precious doll. I am not a doll.”

 Her words made it seem harsh and over protective.

“Of course you are not.” Oratio said.

Joy takes her keys out.

“Shut up.” Joy said, with an ink of hate in her voice. “I’m _not done ._ You were not on business. Mother told me everything about these ladies you have been seeing. Now you don’t have a wife to be suspicious about your whereabouts anymore. You thief-liar-backstabbing—“

“Joy!” Oratio calls her out.

Joy grit her teeth together

“You are a time keeper of secrets.” Joy said, putting her glasses back on. “And what is my parent’s real name?”

Oratio looks down to his right, while scratching the back of his head.

“I don’t know.” Oratio admits, looking back at her. “You were there. We were young. You were just a baby at the shootout. We found your real mother dead beside the baby car seat.” We see the color on Joy’s face drain, her eyes become red as tears were beginning to force themselves out, and her face twisted into fury. "You were crying! What should we have done? Leave you there to die? We took you in. We treated you _like family_.”

Joy opens the door, facing away from Oratio.          

“Family?” Joy said, with one hand on the knob.  

“Yes, family.” Oratio said, thinking he got through her.

Joy got into the house and then picks up a lamp that hadn’t been plugged in.

“You are not my father!” Joy yells, turning around and then throws the lamp after him.

She shut the door after that. Oratio knocks on the door three times. _My mother is dead,_ Joy thought as she wipes off the tears. She walks away from the door hoping he would go back to Alabama with his girlfriend Lucci. If a shootout is responsible for her mother’s death then who is Joy’s father? Why are her eyes like this?

Joy went into the kitchen and puts a letter on the counter. She goes over to fridge.

“Adopted?” She heard Loki.

Joy grabs a knife.

“None of your business.” Joy said, turning around.

Loki is leaning against the doorway with this intrigued look on his face. Fear replaced her initial anger towards Oratio.

“It is when you drop me off at a peasant’s house.” Loki said.

Joy blinks. She hadn’t heard that word since being a student in school.

“How the hell did you get into my house?” Joy asks.

Loki raises an eyebrow at Joy’s colorful word. It seemed quite unusual for someone a mortal to ask  a simple question with ‘hell’ added in it. Perhaps his first day on this realm could be the most confusing one in the history of ‘Midgard visits’ he’s been having through the years. A cave—which he used to get pass Headwall and Odin, occasionally—located somewhere secret is now blocked from letting him back in.

 “Father sent me here.” Loki said.  “And the knife won’t kill me.”

Joy throws the knife at Loki but it then bounces off him and lands on the floor.    

“W-w-w-ho?” Joy stutters, with eyes wide open at the unusual situation with the knife.

“Odin.” Loki said.

Joy gulps down her fear; her eyes locked on the man who should be in the hospital.

“I don’t know who the crap is Odin.” Joy said, rolling her eye.

“Do you know who I am?”  Loki asks.

Joy frowns at his question.

“You are the guy I hit with my car.” Joy said, a bit apologetic.  “Sorry about that.” She looks away from Loki. “And supposed to be in the hospital.”  Her eyes gazed at the paper slip  on the counter. Then she looks up to Loki. “Other than that. I don’t know.”

“I am Loki.” Loki said. “Loki Laufeyson of Asgard.”

“Loki, get out of here before I call the cops.” Joy warns him.

“Why were you driving in the rain?” Loki asks.  “Just answer this question.” He picks up a green apple. He rotates it using his hands and focuses on it to make red. Nothing happened to it from this attempt. “And then I’m gone.”

“Out.” Joy said, taking out a broom. “Intruder!”

Joy chases Loki out of her house, courageously.


	3. Cubicle before the attractions

After work, Joy would go jogging down the neighborhood for two hours and then come home sweating. Joy had to get rid of tired exhausted feeling that usually stalked her after work from sitting in a chair for so long. She worked in a large building in her very own cubicle. A cubicle is a workspace; very similar to the ones seen in the commercials seen on the TV.

But life has thrown a an revelation in Joy’s face; and that changed her afternoon routine.

It’s been three days since she hit Loki with her car.

And apparently he’s been hired by her boss.

“Are you out of your mind?” Joy asks,in disbelief.

“Getting attracted,” Ginger said, as they observe Loki sat down on his new chair. “I believe he’s the hottest man on this earth.”

Joy glances at Ginger as though she has lost her mind.

“I hit him with my car.” Joy said.

Ginger picks up a coffee cup from the dark green bag.

“You’re a terrible liar.” Ginger said.

Joy grabs Ginger by the shoulders.

“I’m not lying.” Joy said, shaking Ginger back and forth. “He’s like superman; only, pale flexioned. And attractive looking and so damn skinny!”

Ginger slithers out of Joy’s hands.

“So you admit.” Ginger said, folding her arms. “You got the hots for him.” Ginger said, as a smile sneaks on her face. We can see color seep away from Joy’s face. It was one of those ‘gotcha’ smiles on Ginger’s face. “You are jelly he’s not by your cubicle.”

Joy slaps her forehead.

“I hit the man _with my car_ for gods sake.” Joy said, in a low voice with a groan as a co-worker walks by.

“Ah, you like him!” Ginger points at her like they were miniature guns. “You like Mr.Laufeysun.”

“Mr. Laufey _son_.” Joy corrects Ginger.

Ginger shook her head as she mutters ‘She’s got a crush on the new guy’, and then headed to Loki’s cubicle. Loki’s cubicle is decorated in black, gold, and green.Loki is apparently surrounded by women of all types—also no surprise—while he signs their photographs like a celebrity. He seemed to fit into the working environment with a bang. Joy went to her cubicle while glaring at the over-achieved warm welcome Loki is getting.

Joy puts her ear phones on, then powered up the computer and tuned out everyone’s distracting words. Joy’s cubicle is frankly a hot neon pink with decorations of all sorts—spanning a few years from manufactured dates—were seen along the edge or on the walls. Her computer has a lion king sweatshirt cozying it up.

“H-He—Hello.” Ginger said, holding the box with a coffee cup.

“I don’t like stutters.” Loki said, flat out.

“Ahh.” The women chime. “He’s so adorable saying that.”

Loki rubs his chin, trying to determine what he should do with these women.

“My co-worker Ms.Lawson has the hots for you.” Ginger said, opening the box.

“All the mortals here are saying I’m hot.” Loki said. “I’m not hot. I’m not close to being melted by the sun.”

The women around Loki’s cubicle laugh off his comment.

“Here’s a warm welcoming gift.” Ginger said, giving a already filled coffee cup to Loki.

“At least this makes sense.” Loki said, as he did feel a slight sense of warmth from around the cup.

“Ahhh.” The women chime.

Loki drinks it, and then he smiles, “I like this.” Loki said, tipping it over. “Another!”

The Coffee cup is broken into pieces once hitting the floor.

“I bo-b--bouught that for you.” Ginger tearfully said.

“So?” Loki said, confused why it mattered to her this much.

Ginger, upset, ran from Loki’s cubicle and went into the woman’s room.


	4. A Asgardian's fury

Our scene transitions to Asgard. There we go through rooms and room in the castle where Thor, Frigga, and Odin resided in currently. The castle that once held the god of mischief through it’s hallways.We see Loki’s chambers is mostly green and beige—though golden to be specific—with weapons that hail back from different ages. These weapons could be identified to be from different wares.

Some of the items in Loki’s chambers are clearly from different realms.

“Thor.” Odin said, as our view passes through Loki’s room then pass Thor’s chambers--that have a dark gray and red bed—and down through the floor until we came to a complete stop in the room with the Teseract. “What questions bring you here?”

Thor looks away from the Teseract.

“I told you.’ Thor said, looking away. “And this is what I get; learning he’s not my brother at all.”

“Ah.” Odin said, tipping his head up slightly. “You know.”

Thor looks a bit hurt.

“I found out when the Jotunheim warriors didn’t burn him as they did with Fandral.” Thor said, sounding hurt. He steps away from the Teseract. “Why do you keep secrets from me, Father?”

“I told you.” Odin said.

“No, you didn’t.” Thor said. “I’m tired of being _lied to_.”

Odin sighs, walking around the blue cube on the table.

“I adopted him.” Odin said, as the look on Thor’s face changes. “Your mother wouldn’t want me to kill a baby.”

“Who is he?” Thor asks.

“He’s Loki Laufeyson,” Odin said. “Your brother.”

The fury on Thor’s face is apparent.

“Who.” Thor repeats his question. “Is he.”

“He’s the son of Laufey.” Odin said. “The King of the frost giants. We were going to join both kingdoms together—if you two could agree on ruling together—and solve two problems with one stone.”

The fury that rests in Thor was not easy to contain.

“You are treating me like _a spare_.” Thor said. “I am your SON. I am not a spare!” We hear Odin begin saying ‘Never said you were.’ To Thor but he is stopped. “I will be the king of Asgard.The son of Laufey can remain on Midgard and I become the king. You never told me who Loki was, not ever. All you said was ‘He’s your brother’. But Loki is not my brother!” Thor was yelling by this point. “We’re both spares for **one throne**. Why am I the other spare? Who’s supposed to be the king of Asgard? Is it me or is it Laufey’s son?”

“You are.” Odin said.

Apparently the event with the Jotunheim attacking the vault had occurred before the Coronation. Thor and Loki hadn’t been aware who was going to be king at this point, but the truth behind Loki’s heritage made Thor enraged.Thor had jumped into conclusions. The Terseract’s guardian stood heavily in the white mist behind the bar gates.

“That is a LIE.” Thor called him out

“You are the oldest one.” Odin said. “And two; Loki never wanted to be King.”

“Do you think he’s worth for such a title?” Thor’s fury is visible and deep.

“He may have his faults.” Odin said. “But that doesn’t mean a god of _mischief_ . . .”

“Do what?” Thor asks. “Be a better leader than I?”

“No . . .” Odin said, unwell.

How far did Thor get through Odin? He had an argument with him about Loki’s leadership skills; even using some examples in the past battles that can be debated as ‘for fun’ messing with the enemy’s cavalry using magic. More than once has Loki went behind enemy lines—with Thor’s Asgardian buddies—and turned it in their favor.

Then Odin fell into his deep ‘Odinsleep’ in the last part of their conversation.


	5. Somebody's hero

_Joy’s dream of an event that happened 18 years ago often haunted her. She remembered being an eight year old girl running from something. But the exact reason never was brought to light. It was always night-time in the dream.Giant Helicopters were following her in this dream. Just as they always did in the irregular dream. She wasn’t wearing glasses and her eyes look weird similar to a person who’s gone blind._

_A yellow flash blinded her._

_“Stop running!” She heard a yell from above.  “We want to help you.”_

_Scared, like any child in this frightening  situation; young Joy grabs something round and metal that bounced off small objects that went ding ding  once hitting the object then flew off in different directions. Her heart was beating faster than usual. She didn’t know where to go. Everything is incredibly blurry but the faint outlines of a door drew her attention._

_She went to the door, then yanked it open and hurried in._

_“She’s gone into the building!” The loud voice declared. “Move, move!”_

_She heard low voices in another room, when she dashed into a closet._

_“Brother, are you sure we’re supposed to be here?” Came a much older and stronger voice._

_“This is Midgard.” A much younger voice replied. Let’s acknowledge this voice as The Young voice. “I’m not wrong when it comes to these impromptu meetings in this realm.”_

_She heard footsteps headed toward the closet. There were faster danger paced footsteps from across these light calm footsteps._

_“Why are you here?” The Young voice asked._

_“Don’t play games with us.” A different voice said.  “We’re here to retrieve.”_

_“We’re not playing games.Are you playing games with us?” The Young voice asked. There is silence. “I was not aware Hogun has convinced them into wearing black is efficient in breaking and entering.”_

_“Nor did I.”  The Older voice replied._

_“Where’s the girl?” A Different voice asked.._

_“What girl?” The Young and Older voices ask at once._

_“The girl who just came in.” The Different voice said._

_“Why are you chasing a girl?” The Young voice asked._

_“This ‘she’ has a person of interest background with her father.” The Different voice replied._

_There is a pause, and then the two voices bicker—in whispers--about coming to this building._

_“Well.” The Young voice said, after he had an argument with the older voice. “You’re in the wrong house.”_

_“No.” The Different voice said.  “We’re not. She came in through the side door.”_

_She heard the light footstep turns towards the closed door. She grabs on to a stick; scared for her life. Young Joy closed her eyes while mentally praying that whoever is behind the door wouldn’t open it. She heard someone grip on the handle. Young Joy’s fear rises up on the Fear O’meter._

_“If she’s scared of you .  .” The  Older voice began. “What does that mean to you?”_

_“She’ll learn we’re the good guys.” The Different voice said. “No reason to fear us.”_

_The grasp on the handle stops._

_“Fear?” The Young voice sounds calm but a hint of rage fell out in the first letter. “The  good guys don’t make a child run away from them.” She heard guns being raised. “That’s the type of mortals who **trick children**!”_

_Young Joy heard a collective large thump from a hall across and backs away from the door._

_“Start shooting!” The Different voice commanded. “Treat them as hostile—“_

_She didn’t hear the rest as the door flew open. There were loud clangs hitting the walls and material chipped away close to the closet. Something struck the floor creating a large **thruue-uch** sound that can be compared to an earthquake happening on a large scale. Some-one picked her up. Figuratively Young Joy is blind at this point without her glasses._

_There were yells from outside the room._

_“Hang on.” The Young voice said.  Young Joy is still holding the broom. “Let go of the broom.”_

_“No.” Young Joy said, scared._

_“Trust me.” The Young voice said. “You won’t need it much longer.”_

_A hand snatched the broom out of her hand as the deafening metal clads were noisy and there was chaos when something like lightening sounds struck in the hallway. She could see a hint of beige, green, and black in her blurry vision. Young Joy squeezes her eyes shut. Then weird cloud scent entered her nose._

_Young Joy sneezed into her arm._

_Then the chaos came to a halt. She could feel the cold temperature in the air. Whoever was holding Young Joy had put her down on her two feet. The fear, the chaos, the sounds were still in her mind. Her hands were trembling._

_“Where do you live?” The Young voice asked._

_“I  .  . I.  . .I lost my glasses at the park .” Young Joy said. “I don’t live at the park. It’s ac-c-across from the candy store with a broken sign that has many holes in it.” Her legs were shaking together.  “Um  .  .Um.  .  Do-you-have a.  .  . flashlight?”_

_The young voice hands her a small object with a broom like handle. Young Joy felt around the top. She was shaking like a leaf._

_“What should I do if  .  . . “ Young Joy starts to ask._

_“Someone attacks you in the dark?” The Young voice finished for her. “Throw a hat at them, then, throw a flashlight at their face and finally, throw your shoes.”_

_“What if they have weapons?” Young Joy throws out another possibility._

_“Oh.” The Young voice said. “Then run.”_

_Something—somehow—crashed on the ground._

_“Brother.” The Older voice said. “We should be going before Father realizes we left .  .  .”_

_“Why should we care about watching horses that have fish tails and a ridiculous hair style?” The Young Voice asked. “That is the most ridiculous request we’ve been told to see. This unattended meeting was much better than that.”_

_“But those doubles—“ The Older voice said._

_Young Joy is grasping the flashlight, tightly._

_“They can last.” The Young voice interrupted. “Look, this mortal is scared. One of us has to make sure she gets home safely. Shouldn’t we make sure they don’t come after this girl again?”_

_The older voice groaned, as though he had been defeated by the valid argument._

_“Fine, brother.” The Older voice said. “We will take the girl to her family, and then we must go home.”_

_“She needs her glasses.” The Young voice said. “Going home will be last.”_

_The two- shared a brief argument about Young Joy’s glasses. Obviously both of them didn’t have a faint clue what glasses were; they came to a solid agreement that the glasses must be a cup this girl adores to bring around everywhere she went. These individuals strange argument confused Young Joy but they had helped her. Young Joy’s blurry vision somewhat revealed the younger one turns towards her direction._

_“We’ll bring you home.” The Young voice said._

_That is exactly what they did. But before they did that; the two went to the park Young Joy had specifically described its location. Young Joy had a hand in telling them what glasses she had been taking about. Young Joy was given the broken glasses that didn’t show a great view—before it hadn’t been broken—as it did last time. The Young voice could tell how sad she was and he took her hand to make her feel it wasn’t exactly the end of the world._

_“You’ll get a new one.” The Young voice said._

_Young Joy hugs whoever has the Young voice close to her._

_“Thank you.” Young Joy said._

_“Father will notice by this time.” The Older voice said._

_Young Joy heard something zipped and mumbles that weren’t clear. Young Joy backs away after breaking the hug._

_“Complaining is not helpful.” The Young voice noted._

_The two individuals brought Young Joy to her home. She felt safe around these men—at least that’s what she understood—who were brothers. She heard a dog bark from the next door neighbor’s yard. She felt safe walking back into the familiar safe neighborhood. It felt touching her heroes did this._

_The Young voice let go of her hand._

_Young Joy heard something unzip._

_“Brother, are you insane?” The Older voice questioned the other._

_“A little bit.” The Young voice said. “What is the yellow item on the door?”_

_“Doorbell.” Young Joy said.  “It alerts everyone in the house someone is at the door.”_

_“Oooh.” Both voices said._

_“Doorbells.” The Older voice said. “They would not fare well with father.”_

_“He doesn’t like Midgard technology.” The Young voice agreed. ”You press it.”_

_“No you.” The Older voice said. “It was your idea to bring her here, brother.”_

_She heard a ding from the doorbell being pressed on_

_“It’s your turn to call him.” The Young voice said, as he walks away from Young Joy._

_Young Joy slightly turns around._

_“I did that last time.” The Older Voice said._

_“No.” The Young voice said. “I did it.”_

_“Bye!” Young Joy waves at them as the lights were going in the house._

_“All right.” The Older voice said.  “Heimdall.”_

_In a blink a gigantic cloud like funnel took the two individuals away. Young Joy turns around back to the floor feeling safe and sound. She wouldn’t forget the gigantic funnel that took the two men away. She would remember them as the men in the clouds._

Present day Joy woke up. She grabs her odd pair of festive glasses and looks to the clock.

“I hate this dream.” Joy said, falling back on her bed. “Always gets me up at seven.”

We see it’s daylight outside the windows.


	6. Are you? Part 1

**.  .  . One week later..   .  
**

Loki sees a picture of Joy wearing a blonde wig. _She reminds me of someone,_ Loki thought as he somewhat could see some familiarity on her face. She seemed vaguely familiar like someone else who Loki had met in the past. _Who does she remind me of?_ He looks away from the book left on the table and proceeds to eat his lunch.

“Joy, are you going to be in this year’s office play?” Ginger asks.

Joy looks down from her book—that’s in her right hand--with the festive glasses resting on the nose bridge. Her lunch had already been eaten about thirty minutes ago. It’s currently lunch hour; everyone is taking a break from their jobs. The time is 12:10 PM.

“Remind me what month is it.” Joy said.

“It’s May.” Ginger said.

The other employees were eating or having some conversations. Loki is tuning out the chattery of a woman beside him going on and on about her family’s vacations. Loki did not find driving a mobile house into clothing stand as something ‘funny’ in his taste. Loki takes another bite out of his sandwich.

Mortals had a strange sense of humor that didn’t make sense.

“Year.” Joy stated.

“Uh, 2011.” Ginger said, puzzled.

“What day is it?” Joy interrogates her.

“It’s May 18th,an Wednesday.” Ginger said.

 “No means no, I don’t want to play Maleficent.”  Joy said.

“Come on, girly!” Ginger pleads with her. “You’ll make a great Maleficent.”

“Maleficent?” Loki asks after he swallowed his bite, and  raised an eyebrow.  “There’s something to play about males being magnificent?”

Joy looks at the ceiling and sighs. It was as though she is doing to keep herself from laughing hysterically.

“She’s the villain to an old Disney classic.” A co-worker, Hank Arnolds, said.  “It was called Sleeping Beauty.”

“You mean ‘is’.” Joy corrects Hank.

Hank’s light brown eyes roll from Joy’s insisting grammar correction.

“This ‘classic’ was about how sleeping has beauty?” Loki asks.  “I do not understand how you consider sleeping to be beauty. Is there anyone who practice sleeping poses?” Three of the women co-workers were getting a kick out of his blunt remarks. Loki shook his head while muttering something about ‘mortals’ and ‘ confuse me’ in the same sentence.

“Maleficent used to have wings.” Ginger said, with a sad sigh. “Maleficent was betrayed by the man who was Aurora’s father—Aurora’s princess name is Sleeping Beauty—and got her wings clipped off. “

“Go on.” Loki said, apparently intrigued.

“Because the former king was dying and he wanted her dead. She was the protector of a forest across from the castle.” Ginger explains, and then takes a sip from her mug. She gulps down what had been in the mug. “Anyway, the man who betrayed Maleficent had been her love interest a long time ago.But since Aurora’s father cared for Maleficent so much he decided to  clip off her wings. “

Loki rubs his chin.

“Maleficent learned Aurora’s father did it just to become king—when the former king passed away-- and marry the king’s daughter. And the stories say she put a curse on Aurorar as a baby to fall into a never-ending sleep when she was older.” Joy continues the explaining.  “However, Maleficent added a unique way out of the forever-sleep; true love’s kiss.”

“That doesn’t exist.” Loki interjects, putting the sandwich on the plate. The co-workers look at him. Loki looks down to his right while whistling a little and fiddles with his finger “I did that once when mastering magic. It didn’t turn out pretty.”

“He’s really obsessed with fantasy, ain’t he?” Hank asks.

A whole lot of the co-workers nodded.

“And Maleficent has a bird friend.” Joy adds.  “You can call him a boyfriend because technically he is. Maleficent has horns like a griffin!” She makes an outline of those horns above her head. “She has this long brown staff with a green sphere at the top. She usually has a high collar, a long cape, and a black neckband.”

“I do not understand Sleeping Beauty.”  Loki said.

“At the end, in the classic movie, Prince Philip kisses her and then Aurora wakes up.” Hank finishes. “And Maleficent’s dead because Prince Philip was like ‘oh mah horse it’s sleeping, now die!’. For 17 years, in the classic, Aurora was raised by three fairies who took on human form to raise her. She had to touch a needle on her 17th birthday to fall into this never ending sleep.”

“Fairies are the not the best care-takers with mortals.” Loki notes.

“We learned that in Maleficent.” Ginger said.

“How can you go inside a mortal and learn something?” Loki asks.

Joy cracks up at Loki’s question as though someone had flipped the ‘hysterical’ switch up.

“There’s a movie about Maleficent.” Ginger said, watching Joy’s face become red. She hands Joy a brown bag for her to breathe in and out. Joy grabs the bag and starts breathing into it.  “It’s called _Maleficent.”_

Joy puts the bag on the table while her right hand is still holding the book.

“Pick someone else to play Maleficent.” Joy said.

The other woman workers had a ‘not me’ look in their eyes. They either seemed; too pretty, too much make up, and way too cute. Joy, on the other hand,  just seems like an balanced woman who didn’t wear makeup minus the odd big glasses. It seemed as though Joy had been destined to play a great character on screen.

Joy is not perfect. She has her flaws.

 It was like some-one had dropped a vase and everyone had gone silent.

  “Really?” Joy said, looking at the other women. "Dying my hair black is too messy.”

“We’ve got wigs.” Hank said.

“Remember the last wig that had the head insects?” Joy reminds them.

“Joy, that was last year.” Hank said. “We checked. It didn’t have any.”

“You never forget having that in your hair; ever.” Joy said. “Hey, why don’t you have Loki over there be the male version of Maleficent? He’ll make a good one.”

“I’m  . .  .  I’m  straight.” Loki said, waving his right hand light above the table.  “You’re out of luck.”

 Joy slides the plate to the side and puts her head on it; then lightly lift her head up and then down.

_.  .  .  .2:30 PM  .  . ._

_.  .   At Work  . ._

“How new are you to Wisconsin?” Hank asks.

Loki had been standing by the water cooler thinking, and Hank really burst the bubble.

“Relatively.” Loki said, sending a sharp glare at Hank.

“So new you’ve already gotten on the news channel?” Hank asks, as he witnesses Loki’s confused reaction.  “Last night you stole all the coffee cups from a Donut McFlurries store. I recognized your face on the tape played on the news this morning. You didn’t realize Wisconsin has doubled the amount of security cameras.”

“I didn’t do it.” Loki lied.

“So you stole all the coffee cups, and, you deny it.” Hank said. “You can’t deny it when they come in the building!”

“ _They_?” Loki repeated.

“The law enforcement.” Hank said. Loki could tell this man is not lying. “Winsconsin is serious about its coffee cups! Most  Donut McFlurries don’t have a great roof; so when it rains all of the coffee cups are used as buckets. And you should return them—“

“I should keep ten of them.” Loki interrupts.  “I can’t make coffee cups.”

Hank looks at  Loki, oddly.

“You have a paying job.” Hank tells him. “That means you can spend _money_ on these necessities.”

“They are overpriced.” Loki said. “I tried to take twenty of them, but, the mortals claimed I didn’t have enough ‘money’ for it.”

Hank rubs the dark beard on his chin.

 “Strange question,” Hank gestured his hand in the way he said it. “But I have to ask; do you live in a hotel room?”

“A comfy one, but it had a lousy price on it.” Loki said

“You know where Joy lives?” Hank whispered the question as two co-workers went by the duo.

 “Doesn’t everyone on this realm.” Loki said, more like a question and a statement put together.

“Not really; we tried following her once and we got lost in traffic.” Hank said. “Another time she tricked us into driving into a monkey exhibit. She has a long-forgotten company vase at the house, and I was thinking  . . .”

“That you can go back to zoo and be a prime example how stupid you are?” Loki finishes for him.

“That you can steal it back  .  .  .” Hank finishes, looking at Loki oddly. “For a man who got hit by a jeep; you have a strange way of saying you are better than anyone.”

“Thank you.” Loki said.

“That wasn’t a compliment.” Hank said.

“You would make a great Jafar.” Loki said.

“I don’t have a long chin.” Hank said.

“What chin?”  Loki asks pointblank.

Hank shook his head.

“All right, if you like those coffee cups so much; why don’t you go to Joy’s house, steal the vase, and then ditch the coffee cups at her front door.” Hank suggested, and then he takes a drink out of the gray small cup filled of water.  “After work, that is.”

“She chased after me with her broom.” Loki said. “I believe you mortals consider this as  ‘you are not welcome in my castle’.”

Hank rolls his eyes.

“O-kay.” Hank said.  “You’ll be giving me directions. I’m driving my truck--" He could see  a confused reaction on Loki. Hank cups his face with his free hand then slides it down.  “Don’t tell me you have no idea what a truck is.”

“What’s a truck?” Loki asks.

“You gotta be Amish not to know this.” Hank said, jokingly.

“I made a whole army into cows.” Loki  brags.  “I’m the god of Mischief, of Asgard. I do not see how I’m a  ‘am’.”

“I .  .  ."  Hank looks up to the ceiling and muttered a colorful word.

“I know someone who would gladly do that to you,” Loki said. “If I wasn’t banished from Asgard.”


	7. Are you? Part 2

_.  .  . 5:30 PM .  .  ._

_.  . Joy’s house. .    ._

“Good luck, Loki.” Hank said, as Loki stepped foot out the truck.

Loki turns to the side.

“I’m flattered you are saying I have good luck.” Loki said, with a certain glow to the ‘flattered’ part.  “Because I’m branded with bad luck.”

Hank lightly taps his fore-head on the driver-wheel.

“Never-mind.” Hank said.

Loki shuts  the door behind him. He goes behind the truck, then takes out a big box from that made an interesting noise like coffee cups knocking against each other. _How do I find myself at her house?,_ Loki thought as he walks straight to the door, _twice in one Midgard month._ Nobody really pays attention to someone’s front door.

The neighbors wouldn’t care unless they were really nosy.

“At least she’ll take the blame.” Loki tells himself as he stopped at a foot away from the welcome mat. “And not one mortal will believe her.”

Loki puts the box on the front door. _Next stop; vase,_ Loki goes through his list mentally. He goes across the lawn to the right then turned left where there is an open gate. Mortals were forgetful for such small things when it comes to the outside of their homes. The Backdoor, it too, was unlocked.

It made getting into the house easier than Loki had imagined. He goes down the hallway hearing singing from the bathroom—that had the shower going a few rooms down from the backdoor.It didn’t really seem to make sense at this point going through the backdoor. ‘ _She told us the vase would belong in her bedrooom’_ Loki recalled Hank’s comment. He saw an ajar door with a visible pink carpet across from an open closet.

It seemed way too easy for Loki.

_Is this a trap?,_ Loki thought using his fingers to push forward the ajar door.

He saw a clean room with a bed that had the blankets pushed forward and two pillows at the left hand side of the bed. The bed’s condition contrasted the black and purple paint all over this room.The vase is on a desk drawer surrounded by absurd and fancy glasses that had unusual decorations. One pair had plastic pink cat ears.

“For a blind mortal, Joy is tidy.” Loki noted in a low voice as he walks towards the vase.

There is a mirror showing a painting hanging above Joy’s bed of a large cloud that has two figures on it with recognizable colors. The painting seemed pretty well drawn, and similar to a masterpiece from a children’s book. Loki picks up the vase carefully so that these glasses wouldn’t make a big noise.

“Why was it easy?” Loki asks himself, turning away from the mirror.

He saw a picture of a teenage Joy with her adoptive mother from the corner of his eyes. He stops and turns his head towards the photographs on the right hand side of the painting. _What?,_ Loki thought as he recognized a little girl in a family picture that had Oratio and his former wife. There were three other boys who resembled the parents more than the little girl. Loki picks up the photograph using a hand that wasn’t holding the vase. It clicked in his memory why Joy is so familiar in the blonde wig.

“I can swish this and that,” Joy sang from the bathroom. “And I can show you how wrong that two plus n equals an a picture OOooh a pictuure!” She raises her voice. “Why don’t you stand, stand way, stand away, and fly away, because I will slap you, bap you, tap you, and cap you into dis-a-bility!”

Did Odin know about Joy? What’s tying Loki to Joy?  What kind of ties can possibly tie him to her? Those were the questions going around in Loki’s mind.  The child version of Joy had blonde hair and smaller glasses. She had grown dramatically from the little short child stage. A average movie-goer can see the reaction on Loki’s face.

 “Because I’m that baaad.” Joy continues singing. “Wooaaah steppin’ from the bright side. Woah woah ohhh. Stepping out from hitting a man with my car who’s my room picking up a photo,” Loki turns his head towards the door. “And he’s very creepy; did I say creepy?” Joy raises her voice very country like, “Yess I diid! Because, I’m that baaad!”

Loki puts the photograph down on the table—while holding the vase—and sneaks out the back door.

“Woah woah.” Joy's singing is heard on the way out.  “Life can really be a pain in the rear.”

Loki gets into the truck.

“So.” Hank said, with a bright smile. “You got it.”

Loki shuts the truck door.

“She knew I was there.” Loki said, as Hank takes out his phone.  “If you are laying out a plan to humiliate me, then rethink your entire life and drop into a tall pile of cow waste.”  Hank looks at him like ‘Why are you accusing me?’. “And then fall into a big pile of garbage.”

Hank drives off from Joy’s house as he dials a certain phone number.

“Uh no, she didn’t.” Hank said, looking at Loki strangely. You can see he feels insulted, but most insulted. His voice has a clear ‘confused’ tone to it. “She’s not a ‘know-it-all’ person.” Loki rolls his eyes at the statement. “Heck, Bryan can vouch that she didn’t know that he cheated on her for quite a while until last month.”

“He gave her the answers and she didn’t know it, well that sounds dumb.” Loki said.

Hank  rolls his left eye.

“Bryan was with another woman.” Hank said. “Joy didn’t take that too well.”

“How can Joy take it to a well?” Loki asks.

Hank laughs a little at Loki’s comments.

“I meant she didn’t trust him to be ‘boyfriend’ and ‘girlfriend’ anymore.” Hank waves his left hand out the window while still driving gracefully on the road. “But they are still friends; a little.” Hank said, turning his attention away from Loki.

“A little?” Loki said.

“I recognized that face on the video from the news this morning.” Hank  said to who-ever is on the other end. “The one who stole all the coffee cups. I am at Loki Street, Laufeyson Street across from a house with the address 1873.  .  . “

  Loki looks over his shoulder at the passing street sign that did indeed read  ‘Loki Laufeyson’ street.

“And her name is Joy Joanna Lawson.” Hank said. “I saw her put the box outside the door. She’s got a lot of guns inside that house, bye.”

Hank presses the red button on the phone and drove away.

“I don’t picture her to be the gun type.” Loki said, knowing what a gun is.

“She’s a troublemaker.” Hank muses, putting the phone into his back pocket.  “That’s what type she is.”

“I can tell when people are lying.” Loki said. “But for some reason I can’t tell if you are lying.”

“I wasn’t lying about the gun part.” Hank said, getting a ‘huh?’ reaction from Loki. “She brought a whole load of guns last year to the building when there were riots going on and people were stampeding upstairs instead of using the elevators. You’ll be surprised how much M4-47’s can last with Joy firing them. They didn’t last a chance because they were so.  .  .”

“Lower-class?” Loki finishes.

“Zombie like.” Hank said, going through his hair while driving. He nearly missed a stop sign from the brief distraction. “A riot that was zombie like.” He drives off from the scene that gets a lot of police around. “They were so undead that our boss compared it to someone filming a lousy zombie movie.”

“Gods cannot die.” Loki said. “I cannot die.”

“Now you’re saying you are a god.” Hank said with a ‘hmmph’. “Fantastic.”

“I am Loki, son of Odin, of Asgard.” Loki said. “I am _a god_.”

Hank parks at an empty lot.

“Can Gods survive a car going off a cliff?” Hank asks.

“Is that a trick question?” Loki said.

Hank hesitates as he is apparently thinking about his own question.  Hank sat there saying ‘um, um, um’ repeatedly as Loki is holding the vase. A couple street kids were walking by a gray sharp fence near the parking lot. There is overgrown plants behind the remarkably clean fence that had an electrical ‘warning’ sign. It might be a miracle they were coming when Hank was having a mid-crisis moment.

Hank saw the tallest street kid bouncing a basketball up and down.

“Hey you, tall kid!” Hank shouts.

The tallest street kid stops and points at himself.

“Yes, you.” Hank said. “What would you do if a man repeatedly claimed to be a god and took everything literal?”

The tallest street kid and the two other street kids share a whispered conversation.

“Drive off a cliff and see if he comes back.” The Tallest Street kid replied.  “But my friends think that’s insane.”

“Thanks!” Hank said, turning his attention back to Loki. “Do you want to prove it by driving off a cliff?”

“I will not bring you to Asgard after this.” Loki said.

Hank shook his head, flicking a bouncy head on the dashboard making it bobble up and down.

“Oh screw Asgard!” Hank said, hanging his free hand out the window. The Street kids silently walked by the parking lot eerily looking at the blue truck as though it came out the twilight zone. “I like to know if I’m talking to a madman. I’ll gladly go visit other planets.”

_____                                           ________                             _______

_.  . . .  6:58 PM  .  ._

_.  . . Police Station  .  . ._

Joy is shown the video tape.

“That  .  .   .” Joy’s eyebrows lower. “Is not me.”

“Oh really?” The Detective asks. “Because we got reports you’ve stolen some before.”

“That was _six_ years ago.” Joy said. “I was new to Wisconsin’s little small town called Hasper.”

“Six years later. . . You take out eleven coffee cups from what you stole and leave out the rest on the front door.” The Detective said, tapping his finger on the table. “I may gullible but this doesn’t mean you can lie this easy.”

 Joy gasps.

“I  . .  I  .  .” Joy stumbles in her speech apparently stunned to find herself accused for stealing coffee cups. “I didn’t do it.”

“That’s what everyone says.” The Detective said, with a light accent in his voice coming through. “Do us a favour and tell us why do you did it.”

“I didn’t do it.” Joy said.

“You can’t say that to the tape.” The Detective said.

Joy takes a breath, and then exhales as her shoulders sloped down. She then made a made up explanation why she stole the coffee cups. The Detective looks satisfied as he slid forward a notepad with a pen. A very defiant rebellious glint is seen in her eyes. Joy takes the pen on the table then begins writing neatly—and fast—why she stole all the coffee cups.

“Don’t make it in chicken writing.” The Detective said, getting up from the chair.

Joy slaps the pen down and gave him a cold hearted stared.

“You just suggested I do that.” Joy said. “You’ve bad at suggesting. I mean, come on, when does a detective suggest a suspect to do that? I thought you guys were smarter than that to say this. No wonder all the confessions are written in gibberish.”

The Detective pauses.

“.  . . How do you know they write gibberish?” The Detective asks.

Joy rubs her forehead.

“I was being sarcastic.” Joy said, putting her hand down. “Now I know how gullible you are.”

The Detective turns away and goes out the door. Joy lowers her head down to the notepad paper. She picks up the pen and continues writing what incredible—and impossible—reason why she stole the coffee cups.  _They will not believe I did after reading this,_ Joy thought as she snickers. One part of her tongue stuck out as though Joy had been turned into a child all over again by some unusual force. The side of Joy’s right hand is covered in black ink. An unusual wind gust made cool air brush Joy’s face. Joy assumed the vents had been turned on by the Detective in a rushed attempt to get neat handwriting from her.

“You are not easy to find.”  Fandral said.

Joy drops the pen and scoots back the chair.  She looks forward--well up, actually—to see this young blonde man with armor and a cape easily screaming he’s not from this era. This man is Fandral, the ladies’ man, sitting in the chair with one foot on the left hand corner of the table. His brown boots look relatively clean.

“How-h-h-w did you get here?” Joy asks, with a ‘This is not a fantasy movie’ reaction.

“Heimdall transported me here.” Fandral said.

The name Heimdall rang a bell in her memory.

 “Who are you?” Joy asks, inching away from Fandral. “Are you a god?”

“I’m an Asgardian.” Fandral said, and then he points up at the ceiling. “I come from Asgard.But you may call me the god of ladies—“

Joy throws her shoe at him.

“What’s this?” Fandral picks up the shoe. He acts like it’s fairly new to him.

“Are everyone from your world idiots?” Joy sarcastically said, snatching the shoe out of his hands.  “It’s a shoe.”

Fandral looks puzzled at first, but it made some sense in one part of his brain. Joy puts the shoe back on.

 “Why do you keep moving houses?” Fandral asks.

“It’s a human thing.” Joy said, as she wiggles her nose and narrows at her eyes at him. “I don’t like to be the one who makes a meme out of this; but, can I not be the totem pole that attracts Asgardians like birds.”

“I was sent by the Allfather.” Fandral said, with a chuckle.  “Before he fell into the deep odinsleep.” Fandral tilts his head. “And I’ve claimed Mortals would not stun me, but,”--He makes a circle at her glasses,-“Today,they have stunned me with their.  .  .”

“Glasses.” Joy said.

“Odd glasses.”  Fandral said, straightening his head. “So, I assumed you already met Loki.”

“He’s got skin of steel.” Joy said, flailing her arms.  “And he takes everything literal!”

Fandral snickers, putting his foot off the table. He then faces forwards to Joy. Fandral reminded her of someone. This someone she couldn’t put a finger on. But Fandral’s familiar face had her thinking more than she usually did most days. It was not because Fandral had appeared in the chair out of the blue; but,  it was familiarity.

“Loki is, or was, the god of mischief.” Fandral tells her. “And he’s powerless.”

“Hold up.” Joy said, waving her hands.  “Repeat that.”

“He’s powerless?” Fandral said.

Joy shook her head.

“No!” Joy said “What you said _before_ being powerless.”

“He’s the god of mischief?” Fandral said, tilting his head like an adorable kitten.

“Before that,” Joy said.

“Ladies?” Fandral said, more confused.

Joy smacks her forehead.

“He’s a god.” Joy said. “Why would you leave a god powerless and make me hit him with my Jeep’s windshield?” She gets a confused look from Fandral. “Yes, I hit him with my _car by accident!_ ” Joy folds her arms, grunting.

 “What’s a Jeep?” Fandral asks.

“It’s a transportation vehicle that we drive.” Joy said.

“I’m surprised the Bifrost chose you.” Fandral said, getting an odd look from Joy. “Loki can get his powers back when, believe it or not, he learns love.”

“.  .  . Seriously?” Joy asks, scooting back to the table.

Fandral nods.

“And he’s banished from Asgard until then.” Fandral said. “If you want to help, and I quote Odin, ‘This confused young man’ then set him up on a dating . . .”

“Website?” Joy finishes for him.

“Not exactly.” Fandral said. “But I’ll go with it.”

Joy smiles while rubbing her hands together.

“Can I make his profile a bad-boy?” Joy asks.

Fandral’s eyes grow big, and he gets up from the chair.

“This is not my department.” Fandral said, backing away from the chair. 

“Ladies _is_ in your department.” Joy said, pointing her finger at him. “You said so, ‘I’m the god of Ladies’. Help a lady decide whether or not to make a man’s profile a bad boy style.”

Fandral shook his hands like ‘no,no,no, don’t ask me’ reaction.

“It’s up to you.” Fandral said, putting down his hands. “Heimdall, take me to Asgard."

The next minute Fandral was gone; just like the two men in the cloud from her dream. Joy rubs her eyes, then blinks, and pinches herself. First time around it happened was like ‘oh, just a dream’ kind of thing. But now it had become an ‘it is real’ event to Joy.  Joy taps on her chin thinking numerous ways she could make Loki’s profile scream ‘bad boy’.

The door opened and in came the Detective.

“Got it done?” The Detective asks, holding a  pepsi can.

An ‘I got an idea’ smile appears on Joy’s face as she looks up.

“Bingo.” Joy said.


	8. A Frost Giant's meeting

"My brother, Loki, is not actually related to me." Thor admits.

Laufey's reaction becomes quizzical. The scenery is snowy-white, suspenseful, and cold.Thor is wearing a big coat made for him.Thor did not seem bothered by the weather in this realm much like Loki except on a different scale because he's so determined. The god of thunder had determination much like Odin in his younger years but not wise.It may seem unwise but Thor has lied he was the one who allowed Laufey's men into Asgard. 

"What do you mean?" Laufey asks.

"Loki is your son." Thor said, as the two frost giants across from him share a unsure glance to each other.

Laufey gets up from his ice-sharp throne then walks down to Thor. He puts down his mighty big and long spear staff land on the tip frosty-snow that covered a dark gray surface.The two frost Giants seemed wary of Thor. 

"My son wouldn't be an Asgardain." Laufey said, with a growl in his voice.

"I saw you didn't burn his arm off." Thor acknowledges.

Laufey walks around the shorter Asgardian. Laufey eyes at the young Asgardian who seemed 'prepared' and 'dark'; the one people would associate to Loki in a different reality. Things here in this universe is much different from what most people are familiar to.Thor's grip on the Mjolnir tightens at the handle. Thor had no idea if his plan would surely work with what he has in mind to use Laufey. 

"I am surprised." Laufey stops across from Thor. "That the god who wields the title of thunder, has gained intelligence."

Thor relaxes feeling a sense of comfort he's been admired for his cunning intelligence.

"I am the smart one." Thor said, looking up to Laufey, "Loki is the oaf."

We can see Laufey's chilling breath in the cold freezing atmosphere.

"Why are you here?" Laufey asks, drawing his forward the staff at Thor. "Answer me, boy."

"Opportunity." Thor said, turning his head towards the tall blue and armored frost giant. "You kill Odin; I give back . .  ." He looks down as though actually needing time to pick a word that would suit the teseract's position. "Your planet's source of glory."

Laufey smiles and then nods at the two guards.

"What about Loki?" Laufey asks.

"He's been taken care of." Thor said.

Laufey's eyebrows met each each other.

"What about his mother?"  Laufey asks.

The two frost giant guards leave them to their discussion.

"I don't know who she is." Thor said.

Laufey puts his both of his hands on the staff and shook his head, sadly.

"Vernetia." Laufey said, fondly.  "We had to use dark magic so we can have moments together. You must understand." He creates a sculpture of a woman about Frigga's height with braided hair and a helmet similar to Loki's. The much taller blue and armored frost giant sighs as he puts down his hand. "It wasn't easy when being capable of killing an Asgardian."

Thor  blinks.

"I.  . ." Thor is virtually stunned. "Thought his mother was a mortal."

The look on Laufey's face easily read  'She's gone' as he briefly lowered it away from Thor's view.

"No." Laufey said. "She was an Asgardian." He walks back to his throne then sat on it. "A good friend of your mother." He still held the staff.  "If we can come to a agreement about this arrangement  .  .  .  .Perhaps we can help each other."

Thor raise an eyebrow at him, suggestively.

"No one knows I am here." Thor said. "I wouldn't push my luck with this plan you've got in mind."

Laufey laughs while rubbing the side of his forehead.

"You've got me." Laufey said, tapping on the arm of his throne. "Do tell. Did your 'brother' get in trouble for _your_ mess?" Thor explains Loki's predicament. After Thor had explained to him the deal with Loki's powers and status from Asgard;  Laufey's back met the cold soft part of his throne. "You have my permission to let his frost-giant powers run amok."

Thor is virtually stunned, again.

"I am not allowed to go overboard on my father's .  .  ."

"Your father will be dead soon." Laufey interrupts Thor. "A child will not always remain innocent." Laufey noted on a well known  phrase as he lifts his head up towards the shorter Asgardian.  If you want to remain king then you must make necessary .  .  ." Laufey taps on his staff then he glances to Thor. "And Inconvenient decisions."

"So." Thor said. "I can get in the way of him learning love?"

"Yes," Laufey said. "Shiny man in thunder armor."

"Did you  .  .  ." Thor asks, a little confused if he heard Laufey right.

"Yes, god of thunder." Laufey tells him, with a amused grin. He definitely is Loki's father. "I've mocked you."


	9. To Prank a Loki

Joy received a fine for stealing the coffee cups and had been strictly told that she must replace the missing eleven coffee cups. She didn’t notice there was a vase missing from her bedroom; apparently. Wisconsin may be an odd state but it does make the silly consequences for stealing objects such as coffee cups sound serious. It was 9:22 PM when Joy got out of her house with a small bucket that had contents.

“Nothing will go right with his computer.” Joy talks to herself, driving into a parking lot by the building.

The bucket was in the passenger seat.

Joy sneaks into the building, gets on Loki’s computer—his password was four letters--, and then made Loki an account on a dating website. The computer’s screen blue screen light up Joy’s face in the dark. Her hands speeded across the keyboard while typing in some bad-boy characteristics to Loki. She used a picture that Loki had accidently taken on his first day on the job; boy ,did he look surprised.

“Hm  .  . .” Joy taps her fingers together. “What next should I mess with?” She saw a file for Loki’s work. A devious smile spreads across Joy’s lightened face. “He’s getting it.” Joy said, cracking her fingers.

Joy then messes with Loki’s files.

___                             ____     

_.  .  . 8:45 AM ..  .  ._

_.  .  . Basically the next day  .  .  .Thursday .  .  the 19th .  .  ._

 “Hank, why are you here so early?” Ginger said, pausing by the welcome desk.

Hank lowers his coffee cup, and looks to Ginger.

“I have a bet going on.” Hank said. His hair  is not combed, you can tell he slept on the couch, and he looked well despite the ‘waking up on a couch’ illuminating from him. “And my partner David forced me to sleep on the couch.” Hank rolls an eye. “He doesn’t understand I was trying to make a point.”

Ginger looks intrigued.

“About what?” Ginger asks.

“Better that you don’t know.” Hank said.

“Carlson  believed I wasn’t capable of learning he was married.” Ginger provides an example with a cheekily smile.  “He was wrong.” Hank takes a sip from the coffee cup. “I wrote the worst name on his brand new car.”

Hank swallowed what he had sipped, then lowered he cup away from his lips.

“I bet  Carl Smith from the Basketball League wouldn’t get into Good Morning America’s cast call.” Hank lied.

“Oh,” Ginger said, with a gasp. She makes this disgusted reaction “The ugly bald guy with little to no hair?”

Hank nods.

“That’s the man.” Hank said.

Loki’s figure is seen in the distance walking out an elevator holding a small item in his hand. But he did not have a trace of burns present. There is a lady behind the counter minding her own business; she’s likely in her mid-forties because her appearance almost mimicking a perfect ‘book-worm’ appeal. This book worm lady is Tara Bikers.

“Morning Mr.Laufeysun!” Ginger calls out.

“It’s Laufeyson.” Loki corrects her.

The hair on the back of Hank’s neck went up.

“I told you so.” Loki said; in a low voice that only Hank could pick up when he went past him. Then he did what most people would find surprising coming from the god of mischief himself. “Sorry for breaking the coffee cup. I bought a new one for you.”

But really, that was a stolen coffee cup which had been repainted so the brand name wouldn’t be exposed.

“You bought a coffee cup for me?” Ginger said, with a gasp. “How sweet!”

Before Loki could hand it to her; Ginger grabs him into a bear hug—which truthfully was tighter than Thor’s hugs—and almost squeezed his kidneys. We can hear him squeak ‘You are not gods’ or something to the effect of ‘I’m being squeezed’. Ginger lets go then she shyly backs away from Loki.

“Mortals  . . .can’t do that.” Loki denied, gasping for air.

“Sorry.” Ginger apologizes.

Loki puts the coffee cup on the counter. We can see Tara’s eyes daggered at Hank who was drinking from his coffee cup and acting like he had no part in their business. Loki walks away rubbing the right side of his waist that did feel a little bruised.

Ginger sighed, dreamily as Loki walked away.  

“Hell.” Hank mumbles, lowering the cup down.  “He’s actually a god.”

Ginger looks away from Loki’s attractive figure towards Hank.

“The god of handsomeness?” Ginger guessed.

“Just generally a god.” Hank said. “Gods cannot be killed.” Hank made the comment like it was on a higher level. “No seriously, you can’t kill them.”

“I thought you could kill Greek gods.”

Tara takes off her glasses.

“They die when you forget about them.”  Tara said, her piecing crystal eyes could have gone through Ginger like she was nothing. “That’s how Greek gods die. Norse Gods die from the Ragnarok; the earth is renewed, the gods are reborn in a sense, and the sun’s daughter takes her place.”

Tara puts on the old fashioned glasses.

“I studied for my Mythology exam.” Tara explains.

“.  .  . When?” Ginger and Hank ask.

“During High school.” Tara replied.

Ginger and Hank share  puzzled looks with each other. First; why would high school have mythology exams? Second; was it to make up for some snow days? Third; you can’t conveniently just know about Norse God Mythology in the middle of an argument. But last it would make sense for her to know this because of this bookworm vibe radiating off Tara.

“Water jug?” Ginger offers.

“Sure.” Hank quickly nods, wanting to be out this awkward moment.

The two co-workers walk away quickly from Tara.

 Our scene transfers to Loki’s cubicle. The Mischevious god sat down on the chair; however, it broke a second after he sat on it. Basically Loki was sitting in the middle of his cubicle on a broken in pieces chair. Donna Temple, a worker from across Ginger’s cubicle, bursted out laughing hystically.Loki gets up and then gets another chair in replacement for the one he had broken by accident. He sat down with a gut feeling some-thing is not right but it wasn’t very close to touch.

“It shouldn’t be the keyboard.” Loki said, putting on the small gray metal device that had a long stick standing out just for him to speak through. For short; ear-phone that had a mic attached to it. Well that went without a messy problem; check. Loki puts his hands on the keyboard then he feels slime on his fingers. Loki horrifically looks down towards his hands that had slime at the finger tips.

It dawned on Loki what has been done to his keyboard.

 “This is a prank.” Loki acknowledges.

“Hah.” Donna said with a small laugh. “Joy’s pranked you, hot stuff.”

Loki gets up.

“What makes you assume that?” Loki asks.

“She’s done it to Ginger.” Donna said, with a nod. “Except yours is slightly worse,” She has her thumb and index finger a bit apart.  “Slightly.”

Loki goes to the men’s room then cleans his hands using soap and water. He walks out the men’s room putting on these big black gloves. He had put  the earphone with a mic in his pocket that visibly stood out.

“Hah!” A Co-worker laughs.  “She pulled the  yuck prank on him!”

Great, just what he had needed after surviving a car tumbling over a cliff without a scratch. Others were chuckling at Loki’s predicament.

“Take it to the cleaning center!” Hank said, in-between laughs. “Across from the lunch room.”

 Loki goes to his cubicle; he unhooks the slimy disgusting keyboard from the computer with a look of disgust on his face. He walks by  the lunch room then goes  through an open doorway and came into a not-so-clean room. This ‘cleaning center’ had cleaning supplies on the table  that is at the right hand side and machinery that needed to be cleaned in a pile on the left hand side of the room.

_Piling their filth?,_ Loki thought with disgust, _is this how they organize what to clean?_

Loki puts down the slimy keyboard in the pile,and then gets a clean keyboard from the ‘new’ section at the corner of the room. The keyboard is green; one of his favorite colors. He walks out the room with the new keyboard that had its cord wrapped around at the middle. Workers were back at their Customer-Service jobs—instead of laughing at Loki—with remarkable patient attitudes.

Amazing what work can do.

Loki goes to his cubicle where Donna—her cubicle is across from Gingers—is still looking there curious. He plugs the sleek, new keyboard into the small relatively new computer. At least the old bugy-one that seemed way ancient had been replaced.Ginger is currently helping a customer with a problem.  Loki looks up from the computer.

“Is there a chance I can do same on Joy’s machine?” Loki asks, taking off the gloves.

“She’s not at work today.” Donna said while leaning her arms on the edge of her cubicle and head on the top of her left hand.  “Go ahead. “

Donna gets a puzzled look from Loki.

“Why?” Loki asks, taking out the earphone with a mic from his pocket.

“She has different work days.” Donna said. “Joy doesn’t come for Thursdays and Fridays.” Donna gets a more confused reaction from Loki. “Mr.Laufeyson, I am surprised you didn’t hear the play is on next Wednesday.”

Loki sat down in the chair.

“I know that.” Loki said, acting as though he had known it all along. “I don’t understand why she has different work days.”

Donna lifts her head up and slightly shook it with a small laugh.

“Joy has been here for seven years.” Donna said.  “Ginger and I got this job three years ago. We—me and Ginger--practically met on our first day in the elevator.” She sounded fond of the meeting. “When it broke down.”

“Long term employment has benefits?” Loki asks.

“Yes.” Donna said.  “We climb up the ladder.” We hear a beep coming from her old fashioned like phone device. “Finally a caller.” She turns away from Loki and puts on a big black earlier version of headphones.

Loki powers on his computer—right as he put the ear phone with a mic on—and plugged in what we should call as the headset into the computer. The screen powered on with painted sparkles becoming obvious on it. He saw words in the space that these sparkles hadn’t filled in; these words read ‘We’re even, now.” Loki gets a towel from a desk drawer and then cleans the screen off. He threw the towel into the trashcan underneath the desk.

  And then a white light went off at the tip area of the monitor. The screen changed from welcoming blue to a woman curling her cool looking hair into long versions of pony tails. She onstopped when Loki came on screen.

“Ohhh.” Shannon Sherone, the woman on the live cam, had said. “You look hot in real life.”

 “What relevance does being hot have in this room?” Loki asks, with a really ‘what is happening to my machine?’ attitude coming on.

 “Your ZoonNesk profile sent me here.” Shannon said.

“Zoondesk?” Loki asks.

“Your dating profile.” Shannon said.  “I’m Shannon. And you are Loki Laugh-fer-when?”

Loki shook his head.

“No.” Loki said.  “Laufeyson. Don’t really know the meaning of if it, but please,say it right.” He then frowns. “I didn’t make a dating profile.”

“Uh huh.” Shannon said. “You did.” She takes out a small apple device and then shows it towards Loki.  “This is your profile.” Loki gasps at the pictures that had been turned into bad boy kind of images and  promoted his face like a shining vase. “Your bad boy images make you so hot. I couldn’t believe you were hot. I had to see it for myself.”

“I didn’t make it.” Loki said.  “Someone else did it.”

Shannon raises an eyebrow at Loki.

“You could make a great boyfriend with hot abs, cheekily white skin that can blind a child, and mad sharp cheeks.” Shannon said.  “And you are passing up the chance to not get someone who might turn you around and possibly make you become a fanstatic role model?”

“Thank you.” Loki said, actually taking her notes as a compliment.  “I don’t get people complimenting my features.”

“What about the role model offer?” Shannon asks.

“Let me think about it.” Loki said, and then he clicked a ‘de-activate’ conversation button.

The screen returned to the business screen.


	10. Power

_. .May, Saturday 21 st.. . . _

Joy was driving her jeep home on a rainy day.She has one hand out the window with a flashlight and wary for a man to come flying out in the hailing rainstorm who would hit her windowshield again. Joy had sent DNA samples to a Lab yesterday in hopes that someone matched her DNA strand. There was a 76% chance it would come back with results.

“So, I’m coming home.” Joy sang, holding out her wet hand that has the flashlight. “Comin’ back from the darkness, slowly climbing a mountain, ba-boom, ba-boom,booom, boom.” She raises her voice. “So I’m comin’ home.”

Lighting struck near the vehicle making a gigantic booming-thud. For five seconds it was completely white to Joy’s view. Joy yanks her hand back into the jeep quickly during this five second mark. She is scared of the thunder.

“Being an idiot must run in the family.” Joy chastices herself.

Her windowshield wipers are being a bit crappy by going slow almost like attempting to lure into a dreamlike state.Not that Joy had been lured to sleep by windowshield wipers, yet she has been lured to sleep many times by the rain at home. _Don’t you worry,_ Joy reassured herself as she rolls up her window, _nothing bad is going to happen in a storm like this._

Then powerful lightning struck in front of the Jeep which made it tip up and Joy hit her forehead on the driver’s wheel. She apparently had got knocked out. We see the Jeep rise up and up into the sky heading towards the distance through the rain. It was odd for something like to happen on Joy during a rainy night. Not that she had hit a man with her vehicle the same month. Our view turns to air plane pilots.

“Phill.” Gorge said. “Do you see a Jeep flying?”

Phil looks up from his playboy magazine with wide eyes.

“We better fly down to get out of the way.” Phil said, grabbing the wheel. His voice is serious and collected. “Gorge,” He noticed Gorge’s sweating profusely. “Breath in, and out.” Phil instructs the young man. “And down we go!”

The plane flew downwards out of the Jeep’s flight. We see the wheels make scratch marks on the top half of the aircraft. We briefly switch down to the passengers who above all didn’t seem really concerned since the recent announcement warned them about turbulence. A child saw a man under the Jeep as the plane somehow—at some angle—managed to give him a view while returning back up.

“Mum!” The British boy said. “I think Superman is flying a Jeep!”

His mother lightly laughs.

“Superman doesn’t exist.” The British mother replied.

“Look mum.” The British Boy said, pointing to the window.

His mother grabs her camera—just to prove a point—and snaps a picture of the window at close range. She did it close enough that it can be obvious the sight of a man flying a Jeep is very obvious. We see the british Woman’s skin go white. She lowers her camera down from the window and sits back in her seat.

“Mum, it’s definetly superman.”

“No son.” The Britsh woman said. “Superman doesn’t fly over the ocean just to save a person.””

“What makes you think that?” The British boy asks, tilting his head.

“Son, we’re hundreds of miles from Hawaii.” The British woman said. “We’re over an ocean. He wouldn’t dump people at Hawaii.”

Our perspective returns inside the Jeep in where Joy is slumped over. The Jeep is hurling faster in the raining setting. Eventually we see a battleship across from the Jeep which makes it come to a halt. Miraclously the Jeep is still able to levitate in the air as we see a figure in the distance with the looming shape of a hammer in one hand. Joy groans, turning her head over still with some life inside.

The Jeep falls into the ocean.

The entire scene becomes a pitch black.

But that darkness is replaced by a shiny yellow scene in a dinning like room. We see Odin sitting at a chair at a golden table watching the events accur through the windows. Odin turns his head when he heard a body land in a seat near him. She had arrived on time; just as he had foreseen with this eye. Joy rubs her head with a groan and a complaint.

“God my head, it aches.” Joy said.

“Hello.” Odin said. “You’re on time.”

Joy stares at Odin pretty much stunned by the resemblance.

“. . .Oratio?” Joy asks, tilting her head and puts one hand on the table. “Is this some kind of sick joke?” She raises her voice to a concerned one. “Because I am sick of your secrecy.” Her voice chance to a furious one. “I am sick of it.”

Odin raises an eyebrow at her comment.

“No.” Odin said. “I am Odin,king of Asgard, father of Thor the god of thunder and Mischief.”

Joy’s face falters.

“You’ve met Loki.” Odin assumes. “He landed on your windowshield, correct?” Joy slightly nods. “Right where I needed him to land.”

“Why?” Joy asks.

Odin leans forward.

“It’s time for you to start using your gift.” Odin said, tapping on the table. “Your gift.” He raises an eyebrow at her. “You’ve forgotten?” Odin seemed quite stunned by her reaction. “No . . .” Odin leans back into the chair with his hand clutching a golden spear item, tightly. “You’ve buried it in your memories.”

“No I haven’t.” Joy said. “I’m a human.”

The scenery changed to a playground.

“This is the day my sons visited Asgard to ditch an important sighting.” Odin said, sounding not really happy about it. “And the day you met Loki.”

Joy’s eyebrows hunched together.

“I didn’t meet Loki until you sent him here.” Joy argued.

Odin didn’t seem to believe her reply. We see a child version of Joy playing tag with a boy—who’s her adoptive Brother—named Carter Lawson. They ran around the playground while making sure not to bump into anyone. They looked so happy as brother and sister, yet we can see a child sitting by Oratio looking like he didn’t want a part in their not-true-relationship. This boy is no other than Jake Lawson.

“Why are we watching me playing tag with my brother?” Joy asks.

“Because in the next minute, you’ll learn the truth.” Odin said.

“What truth?” Joy asks, watching a strange man approach the playground. She saw Oratio talking to Jake why he’s not playing with the other kids. “The truth that I am a stolen child?” It was spoken in hate and conviction. “I know.”

_A man gets in Carter’s way._

_“Hello.” The man said, lowering himself to Carter’s level. “Is this girl your sister?”_

_The strange and dark feeling man points at young Joy’s direction._

_“Uh no.” Carter said._

Joy gasps and her face twisted in anger.

“That lying weasel.” Joy said, as she attempts to get up but Odin puts a hand on her shoulder.

“It’s not over yet.” Odin wisely said.

Joy rolls an eye, sitting back in the chair and Odin took his hand off her shoulder. The Strange, dark man introduces himself as Mr. Odd. Mr.Odd gets up full level and takes a step aside right as young Joy came at a different angle.Young Joy bumps into him and lands flat on her back. She held up her hand declaring that she is okay. She gets up and apologizes.

“I didn’t apologize a lot.” Joy said, with a grunt.

“It’s not over.” Odin repeats himself.

Our view returns to the past.

_“Do you have strange . . .gifts?” Mr.Odd asks Young Joy._

_“Well I can make Daddy’s newspaper fly in mid-air.” Young Joy said, casually._

_“Sister.” Young Carter said. “You know what dad says about telling your gifts.”_

_“Yeah yeah.” Young Joy said, rolling an eye. “Don’t tell them, don’t let them see, and if they do; they’ll think I am a skizo.”_

_“You are not a skizo.” Mr. Odd said. “You are gifted with powers beyond belief.”_

_“Power.” Young Joy corrects him. “That is singular.” She looks at him boldly. “You don’t Sesememe Street, Mr.Odd!”_

_“Well, take my hand.” Mr.Odd offers her. “I’ll show you the contrary.”_

_“Daddy said not to trust strangers.” Young Joy said, hiding behind Young Carter._

_“Right.” Young Carter said. “Now you better walk away before I get pops!”_

_“Since when does a child call their parents ‘pops’ these days?” Mr.Odd said._

_“Walk away from us.” Young Carter said. “Or face my pop’s fists.”_

_“Fine.” Mr. Odd said, turning away._

_Young Joy sighs in relief,letting go of her brother’s hand. That is when the unexpected happen: Mr.Odd took her hand. She was scared and so startled that he was sent flying away into a park bench. Mr.Odd gets up as though he hadn’t been hurt in the first place._

_“Joy, take the bracelet off!” Young Carter said, grabbing at her wrist._

_Young Joy scratches at the little golden device wrapped around her wrist.Oratio’s attention turns away from Jake towards the commotion that started between the three. We see Mr.Odd. click a small box device with this smug smirk on his face. Young Joy disappeared to everyone in the park. The sudden departure had made her glasses fall off. No one but Mr.Odd and older Joy knew what happened._

“I don’t remember that.” Joy said.

“You went wild.” Odin said. “ So of course you don’t remember.Loki noticed how scared you were and put a spell on it. Just so you wouldn’t be scared for the rest of your life.” Joy didn’t want to believe it. “Actually was one of his good ideas.”

“I don’t get it.” Joy said. “What do you mean I went wild?”

“Imagine being able to throw items and people.” Odin said. “Imagine chaos.”

Joy frowns.

“Let me see them.” Joy said. “I can handle it.”

Odin uses his magic on Joy. Another doorway of memories flooded in and it was exactly what Odin had told her. She looks up apologetically to the allfather, mumbling a faint ‘Sorry for doubting you’ but not the Loki part. She didn’t want to believe he was actually more part of her life than known.

“I want Loki to learn what love is.” Odin said.

Joy raises an eyebrow.

“So the attractive guy was some . . . heads up before meeting you.” Joy said, folding her arms. “Nice one.”

“Love is not always at first sight.” Odin said.

“What?” Joy asks, caught off guard. “I don’t understand.”

“I believe you know what I am talking about.” Odin told her.

Joy rolls an eye as she went to fiddle with her glasses but felt nothing. She didn’t feel the hard surface belonging to the unusual big glasses. She looks at Odin wide eyed. She mouthed the words ‘Why can I see?’ with much delight and confusion in her voice. She didn’t understand this entire situation. And then we see her mutter ‘Am I dying?’

“My son.” Odin said. “My true son is really . . . onboard the ‘Love at first sight’.’

Joy rubs her jaw.

“He thinks I LIKE Loki?” Joy asks. “Men!” She raised her hands in the air. “They make the worst assumptions sometimes.” Joy shook her hand. “No offense, Odin.”

“None taken.” Odin said. “I trust you can be a good friend to Loki.”

“Look Odin.” Joy said. “Love comes slow and easy. It’s not usually rushed. Besides, if he’s really determined to not make me fall for his non-related brother . . . He shouldn’t try to kill me, damnit.”

They share a nicely lengthen conversation. Yet Odin didn’t mention his real son by name and Joy apparently didn’t notice that; like she had said: Being an idiot must run in the family. She enjoyed the intelligent conversation with Odin; who made all her problems pushed back into her mind like a nagging question. Odin taps his spear on the floor at the last topic about Asgard’s beauty.

“It’s time you’ve come to terms.” Odin said.

“About what?” Joy asks.

“Your life.” Odin said. “Wake up. You’re drowning.”

Joy awoke in her water filled Jeep. _Power, Power, Power START WORKING!_ She panics, closing her eyes as water began entering her lungs. She could hear the unsettled ocean, the water beat against the waves, and water coming in. We notice the flying figure is nowhere in sight. The light from the battleship lands on the area that an emerging Jeep is coming. This jeep is outlined in purple magic—or that’s what what it seemed—as water came pouring out the windows and every end of the Jeep.It emerged completely from the rampant ocean being pounded upon by tough quick paced rain..

Joy gasps for breath apparently in control of her long-forgotten power.

“Fly away.” Joy manages to speak. “Fly away to get home, and unthawed.”

Her carlights remained on as she went back the direction this figure had flown her in.

Not once did she think if anyone took a picture of jeep flying and posted it on the internet.


	11. Questions part 1

**_. . .May . . . Monday 23 rd . . . _ **

Joy strolled out the elevator door more wary than she had been before. _You’ve kept this power forgotten,_ Joy reminds herself, _you can control it at free will._ She strides past Ginger who was chatting with Tara Biker. Joy walks backwards back to the duo.

“Is there something up with the lunch room?” Joy asks.

Tara laughs at her.

“Nope.” Tara said. “We’ve got one thing in common.”

“Which is?” Joy said, raising an eyebrow.

“Laufeysun.” Ginger said.

Joy rubs her chin, with a questionable look on her face towards the duo.

“. . . Are you intentionally saying his name wrong?” Joy asks, tilting her head to the side. She straightens her head upwards momentarly after. “I know you are not from another country, Ginger.”

“That’s what his name spells.” Ginger insists.

“No it spelled Lau-fey-son.” Joy said. “L-a-u-f-e-y-s-o-n.”

Tara takes a sheet of paper out of her back and then slides it forward on the table. There is this ‘I have proof’ determined look in her eyes. Joy looks down still unable to believe what they were saying is perhaps true. Loki had spelled his name incorrectly despite how often he corrected people saying his name wrong. Joy rubs her eyes then looks back at the paper.

“Hey Joy.” Hank said. “Your Jeep’s flying in the internet.”

Joy turns her head towards the direction of Hank’s voice.

“I don’t follow.” Joy said, blinking.

_What the hell is up with Hanks hair?,_ Joy notices Hank’s hair is different; very different, very spikey. Though what really startles her is the new hair color Hank has changed his hair.Has the world gone mad? That’s probably what happened after being dumped into the ocean with a 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee.

“Your Jeep has a ‘z’ marking engraved on the side.” Hank said, taking out a flat easy to carry device from his desk drawer. He holds it up in her view.. “I don’t forget when a woman single handily ruin their vehicle with car keys while under the influence.”

Joy slides the paper forwards towards Tara with wide eyes.

“So Farrell didn’t do it.” Joy said, in a low ashamed voice. “That’s the internet.” She points at the screen. One way to deny it’s her vehicle is by pointing out facts. “You can’t always believe what’s on the internet.”

Tara and Ginger were giggling at her unwelcome moment of self-realization.

“So someone on the internet has done the impossible?” Hank asks. “That’s not possible.”

“Photoshop.” Joy said, turning away with the black bag loosely hanging over her right shoulder somewhat. “That’s what makes it possible.”

She heads down the wide space between the rows of cubicles—work hour hadn’t officially started yet—with co-workers socializing. _Thank goodness I didn’t get a cut on my forehead,_ Joy thought heading down towards her customized cubicle. She had a black bag with her. When she reached the cubicle; Joy put the bag on the table first; took out a pepper spray, a desktop cover that was a big yellow bird, new paper, and new set of pens.

“Why did you leave me your candy box?” Loki asks, standing at the side of the cubicle.

Joy lifts her head up towards Loki; The man who Odin claimed she had met before. Gods did have an odd way of introducing themselves to her. _I don’t believe it for a second,_ Joy thought while taking off the lion king decoration off the computer.

“Well, you were groaning in the backseat,” Joy said with a sheepish shrug. “And I figured since men do like candy like women do; why not?” Loki’s eyebrows met each other like a bridge. “At least you didn’t complain after I threw it.”

Loki lowers one of his eyebrows as though doing a ‘eh?’ look.

“You threw it?” Loki asks.

“I threw it over my shoulder and it hit your back.” Joy said, putting the lion king decoration on the table. “Your face was on a spare pillow in the backseat.” Joy puts the yellow bird decoration over the computer then puts the lion king item into her black bag. “I didn’t figure men drooled that much when unconscious.”

Loki puts one hand on his chin.

“I do not drool.” Loki objects.

“Mr.Laufeyson, I can bring the drool stained pillow.” Joy offers, as Loki’s hand lowers away from his chin. She pressed the power button to her computer.  “And then you can see it.”

“Rather not.” Loki said.

“Good for you.” Joy said, sitting down completely in her chair.

The chair’s dark purple cushion felt cozy to Joy.The hard black stiff metal arms to the desk chair with five wheels at the bottom had the same effect to Joy. This cozy cushion made the unpleasant mixed feelings Joy had from the Jeep and the disastrous Saturday wash away.

“And thanks to your ‘yuck’ prank,” Loki goes on. “I have a stubborn woman popping up on my screen for a male role model job.”

“Oh?” Joy said. “Isn’t that a good opportunity for you, Mr.I-spell-my-name-wrong?”

“I do not spell my name wrong.” Loki said, folding his arms.

Joy laughs shaking her head.

“I meant your last name.” Joy said, with a giggle as the business screen came to life. “Instead of completing the ‘o’, you leave it as ‘u’.” Joy refills the black curly pencil stand with the pens and slides the pepper item close to the computer. “I don’t know times you’ve written your own name, but, that’s not a nice habit to live on when people call you by your _last name_.”

Loki stood there like someone had told him that he had spelled ‘Justice League’ wrong.

“I’ve made my point.” Joy said.

As though luck had been sewn into today; the boss—the guy who hired everyone—came walking out the elevator with a very business attitude on his face. As he went by some of the co-workers; his presence somehow made paper fly in different directions after he had went by. He came to the reception desk.

The boss is no other than Charol Shipton.

“Your neck tie isn’t tied.”Charol hastily told Hank’s friend Elliot.

Elliet is busy staring at Charol—who he hadn’t seen in a long time—with curious eyes. Charol grabs the microphone that was under the counter then pressed the small black button with the microphone on his mouth.

“This is an announcement for floor 19, and if you’ve forgotten who I am—frankly, you probably did--; I am the cheeky boss who doesn’t give a rat’s behind about you all getting sick from vacation.” Charol said, as all eyes were on him. “At 11:20, everyone on this floor is subject to questioning from some very important people.”

Charol looks around.

“. . .Don‘t tell me you all lazy butts forgot my name.” Charol said, earning a slow nod from everyone. “I am Charol Shipton, head of the customer Service at Floor 19, and you better _write my name down.”_ He points to the floor with much emphasis to his name. “Because next time—just next time—when you are getting on the danger of getting fired; you better acknowledge me correctly. It’s not Carol.” Charol pauses. “And if you want to keep your job; don’t post memes about my name. Have a good lousy day.”

Charol puts down the microphone and leaves the floor.

Our scene flies off to 11:15 AM on the same day.

We see Joy clicking ‘no’ away on ‘will you date me?’ dating offers on the screen. She has her headset plugged into the computer. Loki is seen visibly amused by what he had done to her computer. _Loki did this!,_ Joy thought with much anger as she clicked harder and harder. She goes to account settings on the ‘boothesk’ page then clicked the ‘deactivate account’ option.

“Done.” Joy said, with a sigh.

It wasn’t romantic much to be pranked back by a god of mischief.           

“Oh yes.” Joy said, as a name flicked into her head. “I keep forgetting to make this call.”

We can tell the phone machine across from the pencil stand is not ringing. Joy picks up her small phone—that is digitally connected to the headset unlike the computer—then clicks on a name outlined in faint purple that read ‘Mr.Carter-is-a-liar’. Joy puts down the phone device near to the keyboard.

Three rings later, Carter answered the phone.

“Hey sis!” Carter said, chipper. “What you calling about?”

“I am not your sister.” Joy said. “Jake knew, Oratio knew, and Linda knew. She even had it on paper.

“Hold your horses there, sis.” Carter said, probably shaking his hand on the other end. “Why are you calling Mom by her first na—“

“We’re not related.” Joy said. “You knew it too.” Her voice had a sneer to it. “Did Linda tell you who they stole me from?”

We overhear a sigh from Carter’s end.

“Pops made me swear not to tell.” Carter said. “Not after what happened at the park. There were search parties going on in the woods; we almost thought you were dead.” He spoke ‘dead’ like a heavy word. “You came at the door like magic had been done and so happy like nothing had happened. It was then Mom and Pops enrolled you into home school; remember home school? Remember how everyone looked at you like a freak?”

“I remember.” Joy said.

“And remember how scared you were when a black man in golden armor came returning a pair of glasses?” Carter asks.

“. . I didn’t lose glasses.” Joy denied.

“Joy.” Carter said. “We were at the Zoo with home-schoolers. Somehow, along the way home from wherever you were, you lost your glasses. You were so scared of the golden black guy at first that you hid behind me. I swear; he was like a gigantic shining tower!”

Joy recalls the shiny yellowness that had a bright glint to it with tree’s to the side. It was like a fragment of memory that had returned. All she had remembered was the tall golden figure handing a pair of small glasses—that somehow were taken—back to her.

“Pops told me it was a good choice not tell you about your mother.” Carter said. “I didn’t want my little sister to get scared again about who she was.”

Joy’s lips flatten into a frown.

“No Carter.” Joy said, tapping her fingers on the surface below her keyboard. She didn’t sound happy to say this. “I don’t understand how keeping back important information about my real—dead, I should add-- mother is a good idea.”

Our scene zooms back to Ginger, Donna, Loki’s cubicle’s; there was a break going on because these important people will be here in four minutes tops. Ginger is tapping her fingers on the top edge of her vehicle that divided her working space from Loki’s.Loki is clicking on the de-activate account button on the zoondesk page that keeps coming up ‘request failed’ multiple times in a row.

“Carter just told the prankster something like a stall.” Ginger informs Loki.

Loki looks away from the computer screen with his right hand still gripped on the keyboard mouse.

“What truth?” Loki asks. “I’ve not heard of this ‘Carter’.”

“I don’t know.” Ginger said, with a head shake. “But it’s obvious.” She looks down towards Loki. “You’re the new guy, so, it’s totally okay you don’t know who ‘Carter’ is. He’s her brother; well, one of Joy’s brothers.” Ginger makes a sad sigh. “Her brother Jake is so rude. Jake acts as though Joy isn’t his sister. Jake was here last year with Carter trying to persuade her into going out to Hawaii.”

“Didn’t you say he knows she’s not his sister?” Loki asks.

“No.” Ginger said. “You are twisting my words!” Ginger shook her index finger. “She was working a lot that year, things got tough with mom and dad.Everyone on this floor knew she needed time off from taking care of the poor old lady. Joy was taking care of her mother and refused to leave.” Ginger looks down to her hands. “Now that her mom’s died,” Ginger looks back up. “It’s like the Joy from two years ago just got back from vacation.”

Our perspective returns to Joy’s conversation with Carter.

“You’ll prefer to tell me face to face,” Joy repeats what he had said. “I hope you’re not stalling.”

“I am not.” Carter said. “See you on Friday.”

The end went cold on Joy’s part of the conversation.She takes off the headset.


	12. Questions part 2: The Asgardian King

Loki was the first one to be questioned by this ‘important individual’ while playing with a bouncy spikey ball. Loki throws it up and down into the air, each time it seemingly became more boring and boring. This is how Teenagers usually feel sitting outside the principal’s officen in their sulking and guilty like position when their parents are getting an earful of what they had done.

 That is the boredom ended when something shiny and bright emulated inside the room.

Out of sheer instinct; Loki threw the ball to the shiny bright emulating color.

“Who dares throw a ball at me?” Thor’s voice came first and then he became solid to Loki

Loki holds his hand up.

“Me.” Loki said, as a child like guilt came over him.

“.  .  . A ball.” Thor said, looking down at the item.

Loki lowers his hand down on the table.

“You should learn to knock.” Loki said, with an eyeroll and a fold of his arms. “Always the one to barge in.”

“Am not.” Thor argues.

“Are too.” Loki said.

“Brother, you were the one." Thor retorts.

Loki shook his index finger.

“No.” Loki denies.  “That was you.” It was spoken with great emphasis on Thor’s part. It sounded very ‘I remember it different’ from Loki. “Remember thirty-two years ago when Sif left to join a group of uneducated  Midgardians?”

“That was a mistake.” Thor said.

“And who convinced her it was a fools idea?” Loki asks.

“Me.” Thor said.

When a fool stands in front of Loki, it's not hard to guess someone is going to be prooved wrong.

“No.” Loki said, with a laugh. “You came after her like a pit bull on a mission!” Loki held his hands out like a flat wall  across from one another. "Fandral was the one who brought some sense back to our little asgardian friend your heart _almost_ belongs to.”

".  .  . How do you know?"  Thor asks.

"After five hundred years of hearing you two flirt; it's very obvious." Loki said, with a head shake.

"I thought we were keeping it subtle."

"Apparently you fail at that, Brother." Loki said, turning over his right hand on the table. "What has father sent you here for? Is this to bash me for playing this 'vollyball' game shirtless and kicking the ball instead of hitting it?"

Thor lowers his head with a apparent smile forming at his lips and shook his hand side-ways in mid-air.

"Neither of the two." Thor said.

"Well?" Loki asks.

"Father is dead." Thor said.

Loki’s face at first showed disbelief with a hint of grief.

“Did he say anything about .  . .” Loki starts in a hopeful voice with his head lowered towards the paper on the table in front of him.

 “Yes, he did tell me.” Thor said, as Loki lifts his head up towards Thor  “In fact, Father told me everything."

“Did he say anything about my real father?” Loki asks. “I’ll like to know.”

“Your last name.” Thor said.

“Yes?” Loki said with a tilt of his head. “What about it?”

“You’re Laufey’s son.”  Thor said.  “You’re the son of an Ice Giant; I mean, _the king_ of the frost giants. He’s dead; I killed him when he murdered father." Loki's face changes to a  'Why would Laufey do something stupid like that?' and 'murderer' mi in."Father thought we could unite Jotunheim and Asgard.” Thor briefly pauses for dramatic effect.  “For _one_ throne.”

Loki leans forward, putting his elbows on the table.

“Did Father forget the battle where his throne became the cannon?” Loki asks, trying to make sure Thor is not throwing ‘this is not sane’ news.  “And the one where his horse was turned into a gigantic Tyrannosaurus Rex to bite off the Elphier stone?”

Thor rubs his jaw.

“You did that?” Thor asks, shocked.

“Brother that stone was really ugly.” Loki said, admitting the truth about it.  “Who wanted to stare at it the entire battle?” Loki shook his hands.  “Not me; I didn’t want to.”

“So is that how the horse  .  . .” Thor said, as his face became disgusted.

“Farted it out, yes.” Loki said, with a sigh as he leans back into the chair. “I didn’t realize it can become _that_ small.”

Thor rubs his forehead a little bit finding it hard to believe Loki did this.

“I’m pretty sure it  never happened.” Thor said.

“It happened.” Loki said matter of factly. “Who do you think insisted Sif start attempting to learn ‘transformation’ spells?”

Thor had to think a bit.

“And your hammer didn’t become a parrot because ‘I did it’.” Loki adds, using parentheses at the last part.  “Sif did it.”

Thor’s jaw drops a little.

“I-I- . .” Thor had little to no words about this revelation. Thor shook his head.  “Have you learned what Father sent you here for?”

Loki snaps his fingers.

“Tell me what’s different in this room.”  Loki said.

Thor looks around.

“Uh. . ..” Thor takes several glances around the gray and mirrored room. “Nothing.”

“Look closer at the floor.” Loki instructs him.

Thor looks at Loki, puzzled. He then does exactly what Loki said.  Loki draws something on the paper that had been on the table while Thor continued searching to find what is different in this room. Loki turns the paper around—after he finished drawing poorly—towards Thor’s direction. He actually enjoyed seeing Thor fall for his lies.

“I find nothing different.” Thor said, getting up from the edge of the door.  Thor walks towards the table, and then, he looks down to the picture.  His face easily read ‘What is that?’ like a child.

“That is a picture of you mistaking a toy hammer for your hammer.” Loki said. He gets a blank reaction from Thor. “Because, they are alike.”

“I don’t understand.” Thor said.

Loki shook his head.

“You’ll understand, some day.” Loki said. “I prefer you to be the king of Asgard. It’s not in my interest to be king.”

“Why?” Thor asks.

Loki looks up to Thor.

“All I ever wanted was to be your equal.” Loki said, in a low voice.

 The two brothers share a conversation about their unusual childhood together. It was light-heartening like two buddy's getting to know each other again in some different form. It's very strange to explain a set of brothers re-evulating their childhood as Asgardian and Frost Giant-half-kept-as-a-secret.At the end of this conversation Loki wishes Thor luck with being king of Asgard.

“Goodbye, brother.” Loki said.

“Goodbye.” Thor said, and then like a whisper he muttered a name. “Heimdall take me back.”

 Thor was transported from the room back to Asgard. Loki gazes down to his hands feeling a sense of loss from someone who knew why he was spared.Loki is indeed short to be considered a frost giant. A man, who we know as Phil Coulson, walks into the room. No we are not talking about the 'Phil' from the airplane that dodged Joy's vehicle.

We're talking about Phil the guy who didn't die in the Avenger's movie.

“What?” Phil said, raising his eyebrows. “I just came in here.”

“I wasn’t talking to you.” Loki said.


	13. Questions part 3: The book

Agent Phil Coulson had lots of questions on his mind and some of them were not going to be answered. It is easy for an observer to deduce this when there’s a god of lies in a room with a agent. Not the book or the movie maker kind of agent; but the agent who is part of the federal system.

“Would you know anything about falling out of the sky?” Phil asks.  “We’ve received reports about the clouds radiating what-ever-the-hell-our-lab-techs call it." He puts a folder on the table across from the picture. "And you, of all people, were brought to the hospital on that day.”

“I didn’t hear what day you’re talking about.” Loki noted

“Monday 9th.” Phil said. Phil taps his fingers on the table in a manner not usually seen on Television. “I find it strange you survived a car crash.” Loki's face changed to a 'how would you know?' kind of face.  “We’re the good guys; S.H.I.E.L.D.”

Loki frowns.

“Eighteen years ago a Midgardian made the exact claim.” Loki said, flipping over the paper.  “And I am not convinced.”

“Specific.” Phil notes. “So you are the god of mischief—“

“Was.” Loki sharply corrects Phil.

Phil could tell by the ink on Loki’s hand that he had been drawing. Phil glances away from the inked hand. He looks down to the drawing with a man similar to a figure straight out a book from a Norwegian culture. The similarities were very remarkable.

“Ever heard of Mr.Odd?” Phil asks. 

Loki frowns.

“That Midgardian.” Loki said with much angst. “That midgardian who ddn’t come for his meeting.” He had this hateful tone to it. “I am not acquainted with him.”

“Well, you should be.” Phil said.

“Why?”  Loki asks.

“He’s one of you.” Phil said, waving his hand at the ceiling.

“Be specific.” Loki said with a frown.  “Which one?” It seemed as though Phil Coulson had lost some brain cells.  "Don't play games with me.'

“.  .  . You can't be pulling a trick question.” Phil said. “There’s only one elite powerful long-living group of individuals who are respected as gods in The Norse Culture.” Phil taps on the table. “And we know there are demigods among us."

Loki laughs. He could not fathom the idea that Demigods had gone under his nose.

“There can’t be demigods just running around Midgard.” Loki said. “I would know.”

“Why?” Phil asks.

“Mischief.” Loki said.

“Speak in English.”  Phil said.

“More gods to trick.” Loki said, lifting his head up.  “You think gods cannot tell when a mortal is lying?" Loki tilts his head slightly. "I am the god of lies and mischief," Loki slides his index finger forward on the table and straightened his head. "And you are a bad liar.”

You can't lie in front of a god who's actually lived up to 'lying'.

“There’s one demigod we know of.” Phil said.   “Anyhow.” Phil played with his thumbs. Phil lifts his head up toward Loki.  “He’s an Asgardian.” _No,_ Loki thought, _he’s a Midgardian_. “Not a human like us and he, well, stole something very valuable to us."

“So valuable you come for me?” Loki asks, leaning back in his chair. 

"You are acquainted with him." Phil said.

"He's a Midgardian.” Loki said. "I am not acquainted with a dead Midgardian. Besides, that was years ago.I do not like it when someone is trying to trick me.” Apparently being in Midgard hasn’t changed Loki’s attitude about various things. "Mortals are like a blink on the radar; they are a giant supernova until they die away. They're like stars, only around for a limited time."

If guessing could work; one can say Loki learned this long time ago with a childhood friend.

“It would be silly to fall in love with a Mortal.” Loki remarks. “Very silly.”

"Mr.Odd is an Asgardian." Phil insists.  "We have information dating his arrival in 1962.”

“And he has a grandson who resembles him.” Loki finshed. “There’s always an reasonable explanation for wild conspiracys.”

“He hasn't aged, he doesn't drink blood, and our bullets cannot hit him." Phil pulls out a black and white picture of a man in unusual clothing. “Pretty sure he’s from Asgard. We’re sure Mr.Odd is not Superman.”

Loki had been tricked by a mere Asgardian; impressive.

"I am not sure if your stupidity precedes you." Loki said, with one finger on the table.  "But you've paid no attention to 'was'.” He takes his finger off the table. “I don’t have _powers_.”

“Mr.Laufeyson.” Phil said. “We are aware you have abilities.” Loki has this sarcastic smile aimed at the agent.  “Most can be best compared to our first avenger, yet more superhuman.”

Loki laughs.

“You have no proof to go on.”  Loki said.  “And I am not helping.”

“Okay,” Phil said leaning back with an eerie but confident smile.  “That’s all we came to hear.”

“You’re a awful liar.” Loki said.

“Go, just go.” Phil said. “Or else we’ll be having a sarcasm-fest wasting time.”

_.  . . 12:40 PM  . . ._

_. . . After a couple number of employee’s.  .  ._

Joy sat there, confused. She had been recently asked to do something that Loki should have been requested for. It was something clearly and obviously not in her range of side-tasks.Joy squints her eyes at Agent Coulson. Could she have been sure this is really going on? Could she be sure this isn’t a dream and it isn’t all a coma? Oh boy there were lots of questions spinning in her mind.

“What?” Joy asks, as her eyes stopped squint.  “What again?”

“We need your help to retrieve a book.” Phil said. “Leather bound, old, and worn out book.”

“A . . . Book?” Joy asks.

Phil nods.

“Yes, a book.” Phil puts his hands together. “It has everything that is known to man how to make a superhuman.” Phil goes on as we can see a  ‘You’re nuts’ look on Joy’s face. “This may sound completely absurd and very odd; but, your country needs some help.”

“I won’t help.” Joy said and then notes on his physical features. “You are stunning,” We get a ‘no need to comment on my looks’ reply from Phil as Joy shook her hand. “But you need someone else who’s very nationalistic and feeling proud for their country.” Joy twists one of her hair’s short strands into a twisted mess.  “At this point my faith in this nation is wavering.”

Phil turns over the picture that Loki had drawn on.

“If I said we can speed up your DNA testing; would you say the opposite?”  Phil asks.  

Joy folds her arms on top of another.

“No.” Joy replied with an attitude.

“Are you and Mr.Laufeyson connected by some machine?” Phil asks, leaning to his right. His eyebrows were raised and his looks didn’t really help with the question that compared the two’s answers.

“No.” Joy said.

“How about if we asked your brother Carter?” Phil asks, as he straightens himself.

Joy’s face became pale.

“We’re on the same page.” Phil acknowledges.

“He’s a truck driver!” Joy exclaims. “He’s not a damn soldier.” She grits her teeth together a bit mad. “That would be Jake.” She stops gritting her teeth together. “You give me directions; I will retrieve this book on Thursday.” Joy taps on her left hand’s palm.  “That is my condition.”

_________                           ______________                                   _______

. . . 1:52 PM . . .

. . . Near the water cooler . . .

Loki had told Joy he was part of the office play as well. Perhaps Wednesday could be her dreaded day to date. Of course the building this office play was going to be presented in was long, huge, wide, and theateratical furniture and cameras. It seemed way too good to be true this is how Floor 19 did its office plays in style. It seemed like they were making a mocking movie; only different from the original.

“You  .  .  . what?” Joy said, point blank.

“I’ve recently tried giving ‘acting’ a shot.” Loki replied.

“He’s playing Aurora’s father!” Hank bluntly said.  “I mean, his acting, like come on. That’s the best acting I have ever seen from someone who’s supposed to be a god.” He winks at Loki’s direction. “You’ll do such a fine job acting with him.”

“Didn’t it ever occur to you  Loki’s so good at it because he’s done it for so long?” Joy asks.

“Yes.” Hank said. “And we’re ready to see how your conflicting characters turn out.”

Joy groans and rubs her forehead.

“My character is paranoid.” Loki said. “It should be easier than breaking into a unlocked house.”

Loki walks away from the water cooler with a still full cup.

“He’s getting good at these metaphors.” Joy remarks.

“Loki’s good at playing Halo.” Hank said.

Joy turns her head to Hank.

“Really?” Joy asks.

“He’s beat David a couple times.” Hank said. “And I heard Loki’s going out on a ‘business’ date.”

“Cool.” Joy said with glee in her eyes. “Just what this floor needs.”

“Loki and his so called ‘business friend’ kissing?” Hank asks, clueless.

“Yeeessss!” Joy said, like a snake.

“Joy, can I advise you to stop trying to mock Lord Voldemort?” Hank asks. “Because you’re getting awkward. Come on you are not an awkward woman in her twenties that has a stash of Lion King toys in her closet, a counter full of glasses,hidden paintings, and a secret that shouldn’t be told.”

Joy narrows her eyes at Hank.

“Give me names.” Joy said.

“Names for Donner, Blitzen, and Cupid?” Hank asks, as Loki was out of sight.

“No, stupid.” Joy said. “Give me the names who told you I had Lion King Toys!”


	14. Acting and imagination

_.  . . Wednesday the 26th  . . ._

The Office play, which most employees eagerly wait for every year, is finally happening. Tara Bikers brought her two children to play the parts of young Maleficent and young Stefan. He had known someone similar to Maleficent back in the day where kings and queens existed in Midgard. It was so long ago, anyway. Perhaps Joy’s take on the character might not be bad.

“Mr.Laufeysun!” Ginger calls for him. “Your line is coming.”

Other than hating it when Ginger called him ‘sun’; this couldn’t get any better.

“What’s my line again?” Loki asks.

“Merci.” Ginger said, sticking her head from the curtain.

Loki scoffles.

“There’s no mention about that line in my script!” Loki argues back.

Ginger groans, going through her hair. Hadn’t David been gloating one hour ago that Loki is a superb actor? And hadn’t Joy been comparing David’s gloating to a hog from a long forgotten movie that isn’t a Disney movie? Both questions could not be answered at once with the mind of an irritated woman at the time.

“Mr.Laufeysun, you don’t Sesame Street.” Ginger said.

“I don’t Sesame Street?” Loki repeats, puzzled. “Midgardians confuse me.”

Loki spoke like an alien from Outer Space that referred to humans by words that sounded similar to ‘Guards’ just without the ‘u’ in it. The word ‘Midgardians’ made Ginger think of Guards in the middle of a power pyramid. Or frankly guards in the middle of the society level between federal to civilization.

“As Joy put it; you don’t learn.” Ginger said with a shake of her head. “She’s getting to the baby scene.”

Ginger pokes her head out from the curtains letting the drawn purple fabric bump against another like a comb’s hard straw brushing through hair. Loki went through his memorized scenes and lines. _It’s not as though Fandral is making me do Siff’s hair,_ Loki thought while hearing the quiet low pitched footsteps belonging to Joy making soft creaks on the wooden floor. That too was in the script—she had to wear a special kind of shoes that made this effect—that had been shared with the other members.

Loki steps through the curtain wearing a costume, and yes, he had a plastic version of a crown.For once, among the cast members, Loki noticed that Donna was black. Loki hadn’t noticed until she had been put into a Caucasian crowd. The scenery jumped to life through Loki’s eyes; the stage turned into hard, tough rock, the three short women actually turned into fairies, and Tara Biker’s recently adopted baby boy became a baby girl. It seemed all too fascinating and awe when filmed through his eyes.

“Here comes the awesome part.” Hank whispers to his African American Partner; David.

“Honey.” David whispers back. “Last time you said that; we landed in the dumpsters.”

Joy’s costume that mostly was a costume of a dark cloak with a purple suit underneath whole holding a long gray pipe with a mosquito fossil fused on became Maleficent through Loki’s perspective. Her black wig became real, the prop horns turn into real, and her face’s features—that were obscured by her glasses—stood out more like the movie version of Maleficent. Those ‘pretty’ features that people would find attractive had slid away to reveal the real person underneath.

“It wasn’t my fault.” Hank whispers back.

“I didn’t call Bart the name ‘Stewie’.” David said. “He was not a bald baby with a genius brain.”

“Bart reminded me of him.” Hank whispers back.


	15. Acting can be improvised

There were some scenes in the office play that Loki could tell were improvised by Joy and a few of the other members. Loki’s scenes were on the other hand not that much improvised. Hank seems very intrigued by the office play. We can see Tara in the front row with a crumbled up brochure showing Hawaii by the looks of it.

“Is he . . .flying?” Loki asks a co-worker, unsure about the scene where a young man—playing Philips role---was pretending to be asleep and levitating above Joy in mid-air.

“No.” Conner Welsh, another co-worker, reassures Loki. “It’s the invisible string doing what it is meant to do.”

Loki turns his head towards Conner.

“Tell me, when you buy invisible string, how can your eyes see it?” Loki asks.

“It’s in a wrapped container.” Conner said.

“In a wrapped container.” Loki said. “So it’s specifically marked, with wraps.”

“No.” Conner said, with a shake of his head. “It is wrapped around a balloon handle that is bigger and placed in a plastic case that is hard to open.”

“But how can you see the string?” Loki asks.

“It’s colored.” Conner said. “And the color goes away when you put it in the light.”

Loki rubs his chin.

“There’s a one problem with your ‘solution’.” Loki said, pointing above the floating man. “He is flying. And there is not a thread dangling from his pantleg.” Conner seems puzzled. “Do you see anyone standing above the stage?”

“No.” Conner said.

“Then how can you see invisible string?” Loki asks.

“In the light.” Conner said. “When there is bright light you can see it. It’s like the R.L Stine’s books made into a short movie.”

“R.L. Stine.” Loki said. “I remember him.”

Conner’s eyes shine.

“Cool.” Conner said. “So I guess you must be a goosebumps fan.”

Loki shook his hand both ways.

“No, mortal.” Loki said. “Many years ago; I was after a machine that trapped mortals and immortals in photos. I only came across him during one of my visits.” Conner looks at Loki oddly. “It took some persuasion for R.L.Stine to give the machine.”

“You must have been high back then.” Conner remarks.

“Glorious days.” Loki said, fondly. Conner’s face turns into a ‘How are you silver?’ kind of reaction. “I had to show R.L.Stine what the machine could do, on an unsuspecting store owner.” Loki lowers his hand. “It was only then he understood its power.”

“Uh, you know its only fiction.” Conner reminds him.

“The grandfather clock isn’t.” Loki said.

“W-w-w-h-what?” Conner said, thrown off guard.

“You can get rid of anyone in your family tree on it.” Loki notes. “Like they never existed.” Conner is gaping from the information being spilled.“Thor retrieved that one.” Loki turns his head away from the young man. “Asgard has a secret storage for all the forbidden items.”

Conner walks away from Loki to backstage.

Our scene travels up to Asgard where we see Thor standing at the balcony watching this play.The look in his eyes were something not that ‘heroistic’. It was dark and motivated with greed you wouldn’t have seen in a hero version of Thor.He raises his hand upwards towards a specific star that gifts him the ability to see what is going on with Loki.A strand of golden like flames surge from around his arm towards this star.

“Let his Frost Giant half be dominant.” Thor said. “And see the monster he is.”

The golden flames disappear from his arm towards this star.The golden colors are seen twirling in circles similar to smoke as they draw down towards Loki. Hank’s attention is caught off guard by the unusual golden-orange awe looking sight. Hank has one hand on his chin as the fog like apparition went through Loki’s back.

For a minute there; Loki’s face turns blue with these odd black markings, and then returned to normal.

“Did you see what I just saw?” Hank whispers to David.

“Honey, I’m enjoying the play.” David said.

Hank turns his attention to Loki, who is at the back where most people didn’t pay attention, as a worry began to nag him. _Was this a trick or a spell?,_ Hank asks himself, _it’s a real life hocus pocus all over again._ Several minutes pass when Hank was worrying about this odd event.

This time we find our scene at the part where Stefan and Maleficent face each other—in the movie, that is—on top of a tower with a wide solid floor. Everyone was so engrossed into the play that no one noticed Loki’s icicle sword was real. Everyone except for Hank that is; he noticed the ice on the fake sword.

Loki’s icicle sword stabbed through Joy’s heart. It was barely noticeable that blood didn’t come trickling out. It was as though the stab wound was oddly smaller than what one would expect from a sword. Remember, swords leave a relatively big sized wound. Also that swords are not sharpened pencils.

“It’s over.” Joy said, taking the sword out as though it didn’t hurt.

Her eyes winced. _Wait, this isn’t in the script,_ Loki realized.

What little did Joy know; her heart was beginning to get frozen. Little by little that went unnoticed in Joy’s body. The play went on smoothly for the last part of the act. Loki could tell Hank was worried about something. And Loki himself was concerned about how in Midgard his sword had grown ice.Joy didn’t have a bleeding wound nor did her costume show a tear in it. It was so evidence-less that the stabbing could have not happened.

“Hey Mischief man!” Hank calls out to Loki, coming to him.

Loki was about to leave.

“What is it now?” Loki asks, turning to his right.

“I saw what happened.” Hank said.

“The last part in the play was improvised.” Loki said. “I didn’t have invisible string, that was all Joy.”

“I don’t know if what my eyes had seen were real or not.” Hank said. “But I saw this golden orange gas like cloud go into you and then it was so strange.” He gets a raised eyebrow from Loki. “Next thing I know is your sword grew ice.”

Loki could tell that Hank was telling the truth.

“Honey, we’re not missing America’s Funniest Videos.” David said.

“You must have been dreaming it.” Loki said in a convincing way. “Go home, and catch up on some sleep.”

“There’s something odd going on, and it isn’t because you’re a god.” Hank tells Loki.

Hank and David leave the building as Loki says ‘It is always odd to Midgardians’ to himself. Joy and the other co-workers came out the dressing room with long sleeved jackets on. Apparently tonight’s weather was not going to be the hot and comfortable kind. But Joy’s long gray coat that was buttoned up by small brown items,her jeans could have been mistakened as tights, and her shoes matched her attire perfectly. Joy looks so casual in this winter fit clothing.

Joy looks cute, even to the god of Mischief.

“I heard you’re going on a date.” Joy said.

“Business meeting.” Loki corrects her.

“Loki’s going out on a date!” The other co-worker’s said it like a cheer as they were headed out. They were almost like a swarm. “Loki and his girlfriend sitting on a park bench with roses growing around them, K-i-s-s-i-n-g.”

“I know how to spell ‘Kissing’.” Loki said.

The others laughed as they left the building.


	16. View

_.  .  . Wednesday._

_.  . . 7:30 PM .  . ._

“Come on.” Ginger’s voice whines on the phone. “Tell me where you’re going this time.”

Joy walks through her apartment wearing a men’s sized buttoned up shirt.  

“Last time I did, you followed me to New Mexico.” Joy said, going to her room. 

On her bed is an open black suitcase with a pair of clothes and some necessities. Among those necessities are two small fake guns placed beside two white boxes that had a warning on the lid which read in red text ‘bullets’. She has one pair of fancy glasses tucked into the suitcase’s roof pocket.

“That was soo two years ago.” Ginger said.

Joy grabs two mystery/romance novels from the bookshelf that is across from her bed.

“I am pretty sure some of the men you ripped off are not happy.”  Joy said,as she places the novels on the fake guns.

Ginger made a fake laugh over the phone.

“I’m not into that sort of thing anymore, Joanna.” Ginger said.

“You still smoke.” Joy said.

“Do not.” Ginger argues.

“I have seen you in the employee lounge smoking.” Joy said, turning away from the luggage to the closet. “There’s a reason why I bring lighters with me. And searching under the couch won’t come up with some lighters. I have a deal with the Janitor to give me the lighters he finds.”

“Since when did you make deals?” Ginger asks.

“A woman’s gotta do what a woman’s gotta do.” Joy said, opening the closet doors. She takes out a short blue jacket. She wiggles her nose at the jacket, and then, she puts it back into the closet. “To keep her job going.”

“Does this mean you’ve been in some nasty business?” Ginger asks.

Joy smiles at her friend’s unusual assumption.

“No.” Joy said.  “It’s all messy; because mostly the lighters come from the men who come to have a meeting with Charol, in the employee’s lounge.”

There is a brief pause between Joy and Ginger.

“.  . . Why the employee’s lounge?” Ginger asks.

“All the business rooms are usually occupied.” Joy  said, taking out a long black coat with a furry hood.

“What the hell did you do, Joanna?” Ginger asks.

“Charol owed me a favor.” Joy said, as she walks out her room.  “And he wouldn’t do the favor.” Joy slyly smiles heading down the wall as the phone is not in her hand. The phone is floating beside Joy’s right ear.  “So I repaid him.”

“You’re evil.” Ginger said.

“Better word would be devious.” Joy said casually. Her living room windows are covered by long closed dark brown window blind . “And this is why since 2005, everyone on the 19th floor, eats in the ‘do not enter’ room.” Joy takes off her current pair of glasses then puts them on the kitchen table. She takes the coat hanger out from the coat. “It seemed logical at the time to enter a ‘do not enter’ room.”

“Joanna, you are such a rule breaker.” Ginger said, earning a laugh from Joy.

“I’m glad you finally noticed!” Joy said, as she puts the black coat on the couch.

“Joanna.” Ginger said. “Stop avoiding my question. Where the hell are you going to spend your Tuesday?”

Joy stops in her tracks with this certain smile on her face.

“I don’t have a reason to get into a time machine and go all the way back to Tuesday.” Joy said.

We hear Ginger groan from the other end of the phone.

“Stop avoiding the question, Joy.” Ginger said.

Joy continues walking.

“Glad to hear you calling me by my first name, for once.” Joy jokingly said.  “I am taking a flight to Utah.”  Joy trips over a pillow and lands on the floor. Yet, she kept talking. “And you will not use one of your spare vacation days to come straight down; it’s my business.”

“Family business?” Ginger guessed.

“No.” Joy said as she gets up.

“Vacation business?” Ginger guesses, again.

“It’s not vacation if you’re spending one day away.” Joy reminds Ginger, walking right past the table that had the odd glasses.

“It’s a visit.” Ginger said.

Joy hits the wall and pinches her nose.

“Yes.” Joy said, turning around. _This is your house,_ Joy begins to criticize herself, _you should know where everything is without glasses!_   “A visit.”

Joy goes back to the table while using her hands as a form of guide.

“Can you do me a favor?” Ginger asks.

“Depend what it is.” Joy said while seeing gray, brown, light brown, pink, and some other colors in her vision. _I am getting close,_ her hands anticipated tap on the table repeatedly. She spreads her fingers on the table carefully enough not to knock over the glasses in case her wrist came against the plastic pair.

“Take pictures of Utah’s mountain ranges, but not from the sky.” Ginger said. “I want it up and close.” Joy’s wrist met the purple pair of glasses that had cat like ears. “You know how often I get distracted.”

“Why?” Joy asks as she puts on the glasses.

“I want to see Paul Bunyan and his wife’s mountain art.” Ginger said.

_                                                     __                                                  _

_. . . Thursday .  .  ._

_.  .  . 1:20 PM  . . ._

Joy took a flight to a destination not everyone would think. This location was in Utah; which had cooler weather than Wisconsin.The mountain sight is awe-inspiring from up above in an air plane. It was too bad Joy had to take some pictures on the ground.  But on the other hand there can be a loop hole not to do it.

“Why did I bother telling Ginger?” Joy asks herself, and then shared a sigh. “Oh right.  I remember.”

Joy looks up to the square device attached to the air plane’s ceiling that is currently playing a vampire movie. The main character, as far Joy knew, was named after a swan and didn’t have much character to go off on. After all, proving a point that Paul Bunyan didn’t make the mountain carvings with his wife was worth taking pictures.

She looks down to her phone’s screen, seeing more text messages from Ginger. One of them made her laugh. ‘Did you tell Loki to switch out my rose vase’, ‘Joanna, I know you used my cloak for the play’, ‘Joanna, how the hell did you make my computer keys sticky?’, ‘I know what you did to Hank’s chair’, and two other messages.

“The plane has landed.” The flight attendant said.

Joy lets go of her grip on the air plane passenger seat.

“Thank gods.” Joy mumbles, much relieved as she gets up from the chair.

.  . A scene between Midgard and Asgard  .  . .

.  .  . 2:47 PM  . . .

“Thor, what have you been doing?” Frigga asks.

Thor turns away from the Balcony.

“I’ve been watching Loki’s journey.” Thor lied.

Frigga raises an eyebrow.

“You weren’t the one to spy on your brother, as I recall.” Frigga said.

Thor has a low fond laugh.

“He’s been failing to construct a relationship with women.” Thor said, sounding amused and proud of it.

“And have you had a part in this?” Frigga asks.

“No, mother.” Thor lies to Frigga while shaking his right hand.  “I would never hinder one’s journey as broken as it is.”

“I want you to prove it.” Frigga said earning a surprised look from Thor. “To see what you’ve been doing, not on your brother,” Thor could feel relief travel down.  “But to those around him. It’s time I see why you’ve been coming to this balcony more often.”

“Good.” Thor said. “It’s fun to bother his friends.”

Frigga and Thor share a view of Joy entering a room.

“Who is this?” Frigga asks.

“A friend of Loki.” Thor said.

“Loki has a girlfriend.” Frigga said, observing Joy put two guns into some item that was on her thigh. She watches Joy search the room for some urgent item. “I thought it would take much longer.”

“No.” Thor said. “Not the kind you are thinking about, mother. It is the romance less kind.”

“Ah.” Frigga said, with an understanding tone.  “Do the mirror.”

“Excuse me,mother?” Thor asks, puzzled by Frigga’s request.

Frigga turns her head towards Thor.

“Use the Mirror spell on her.” Frigga said. “And see how long it takes her to get out.”

Thor uses his power to conduct the ‘Mirror spell’. The two watch Joy take out an old book from a drawer. She drops the book on the table as though something had startled her. Joy turns to the mirror’s direction. Joy leaves the book then heads towards the floor mirror step by step with a tilted head.

“She needs a nudge.” Frigga notes out loud.

“That she does.” Thor agrees.

“What is the most eye catching animal on Midgard?” Frigga asks.

“A kitten.” Thor said, and then gets the ‘right’ expression from his mother. “I see.”

Thor’s grip on the golden staff tightens as it radiates a fire like version of gold. The color disappears similar to a lightning zap because it appeared a second later heading towards this light blue star.The flickering invisible golden flames shot through Joy then crashed into the mirror without her attention focused on it. Joy’s reflection disappears off the floor mirror. Joy went into the mirror.

“Start the stopwatch.” Frigga said.

A stopwatch appears in Thor’s free hand. Thor presses the top of the stop watch.

“She’ll be stuck there.” Thor mutters to himself.

 Our scene lowers back into Midgard, into the floor mirror. Joy kicks at the mirror’s reflection of the room outside. Only that was probably her number one stupid mistake because she hurt her foot by this.

“Damn it.” Joy complains. “Kicking doesn’t work.” She lowers her head.  “Damn those cop shows make it so convincing.”

Joy lifts her head up taking out her phone, she  turns it on, and checks for the bars. It had five bars. _Thanks you Verizon for having service everywhere!,_ Joy happily thought with a relieved sigh. Perfect conditions to make an emergency call with a good friend in Wisconsin. Joy presses on a button that read ‘contacts’, once in the contacts section she scrolls down, then presses on a familiar name that stood out in bright red.

“Hello!” Ginger answers the phone.  “This is Ginger Cotton speaking.”

“Ginger.” Joy said.  “It’s me.”                             

“Me who?” Ginger asks.

“Lawson!” Joy raises her voice.   “I am stuck in a mirror.”

“Get out with an axe.” Ginger said, playing along with her act. “And then try to smash the mirror into pieces. And then run around on the glass singing ‘Bloody Mary’ three times with a wig on your head.”

“I am not joking.” Joy said.

Ginger slides to her left towards Loki’s cubicle and then stood upright.

“Mr.Laufeysun.” Ginger said as Loki was watching a cat video and his phone was going off but he waved her off saying ‘Not now. I am busy here.’ With this amused look on his face. Ginger looks down to see his desk chair’s wheels are covered in ice. “He’s busy. Perhaps Hank has an idea.”

“Ginger.” Joy said, with a growl in her voice. “I need to get out.”

“Sorry Joanna.” Ginger said.  “I don’t have a bright idea how to get out a mirror.”

Joy’s eyes were fixated on the book on the table.

“Mirror?” Loki said, his attention caught by the last part.

Ginger laughs.

“Yes.” Ginger said.

“Is this a game she’s playing?” Loki asks.

“Good question, I’ll ask.” Ginger said, from the other end.  “What game are you playing?”

“Kick-your-butt-and-send-it-to-the-moon or I think it is  ‘Dracula vampires you’.” Joy said, sarcastically.  “I heard this chime from the mirror, and then, there was this cat sound.” Ginger rolls her eyes. “And I had to see if there was a real cat in there.”

“So you’re stuck in a mirror in the ‘Dracula vampires you’ game.” Ginger said.  “Stop faking the game name.” Ginger turns away from Loki. We can see a couple co-workers wearing winter coats while passing by Loki’s cubicle.  “We all play terrible video games on the Xbox; go ahead and admit you are playing Lara Croft Tomb Raider.”

“Please put me on speaker.” Joy asks, politely.  Ginger presses a button on the phone and holds it away from her ear.  “It is called.  . . I’ll HAUNT YOU.” Her voice startles Ginger.  “Now, give me any stupid idea to get out of this mirror.”

Ginger turns white as she puts the call off speaker.

 “I think Joanna is going loco.” Ginger said, putting the phone to her ear

“I am not going LOCO!” Joy yells loudly.

“She needs a candle.” Loki said, luring Ginger’s attention to him. “And then to step out. Next she must break the mirror with a chair.” Ginger raises an eyebrow at Loki. “It works.” Loki had the cat video on pause. “I once had Houdini attempt this during his tricky stunts. He was an intelligent man.”

“You need a lighter.” Ginger said. “And then walk out and then break the mirror with something hard. That wasn’t me who brought up this nifty idea; it was all Mr.Laufeysun.”

Joy had smoked several years ago. Plus that she knew friends who needed a smoke when stressed out; all the reason to bring a lighter. Joy takes out a purple lighter then presses on the top. A single flame flickered out of the small circular hole. Ripples appear at the big mirror’s present glass. With hope burning inside; Joy walks out.

“Tell Loki I could kiss him right now!” Joy said and then hangs up.

She proceeds to break all the mirrors in the room. Our view backtracks up to Midgard with Thor and Frigga.

“Five minutes.” Thor said, holding the stopwatch.

“Loki helped her.” Frigga said.

“She was talking to her machine.” Thor said.

“There is only one Asgardian down there who understands how to get out.” Frigga reminds Thor, holding up her index finger. Her fingers open up from their first like form.  “She uses her resources to get out a situation. I see some potential in Joy with Loki.”

“Mother, you’ve seen her glasses.” Thor said.

“Being blind is a lot similar to love.” Frigga said, turning away from the star. “And I hope she doesn’t fall to an unexpected death, as should you.” The stop watch disappears from Thor’s hand. “You must find yourself a queen.”

“Mother, I’ll  get to it—“ Thor interjects.

“No excuses.” Frigga said.  “You must choose your queen.”

The two walk away from the balcony while speaking about the topic of queen.


	17. Discovery

It was Saturday, not Friday when Joy finally got the chance to speak with Carter. Her fingers tap on the light gray table that has a glass frame being hard and sturdy. A sun hat prevented anyone from getting a good look at her weird glasses. Carter sat down in the chair across from her apparently relaxed and casual with a glass in his hand.

“So Lil’ sis.” Carter said, putting the glass on the table. “What do you wanna hear?”

“The name of my mother.” Joy said.

The look on Carter’s face changed.

“The name is a bit fuzzy.” Carter said, his attention fixated on the glass while turning it around in a complete circle. He looks up to Joy. “But I can try.”

“Carter, this is not a game.” Joy said, impatient with Carter. “If this is not a game, then take off the ugly hat.” Carter said. Joy takes off the hat then puts it on the table. “Sis, it’s been years since Mum spoke her name.”

“Thirty Three years, for you.” Joy said.

“So long ago.” Carter said, titling his head down to the rounded flat bottom of the glass.

“You don’t forget the name of your ‘adopted’ sister.” Joy said.

“Georgie.” Carter said, and then drinks a bit from the glass.He puts it down on the table. “Her   name was George Joanna.” Joy’s mouth gapes open to a perfect ‘o’. “She was a wealthy woman with beauty and intellect,” Carter looks down to his right. “Even a grace you can say to bring hopes up.”

“My mother was not an angel.” Joy remarks.

“The way Mum had told me sounded just like it.” Carter said. “Georgie fell in love with this really formal man.” He points to the sky. “Who referred to Georgie as ‘Milady’.” He softly laughs. “Man, mum talked about their love story as a bed time story one night.”

Joy raises an eyebrow.

“No, she didn’t.” Joy said.

Carter looks down to his hands with a little smile.

“She did for me.” Carter said, turning his gaze up towards Joy. “Georgie and your father bumped into each other.” Carter taps on the table. “But not the way you expect. Georgie was from a rich Russian family who had ties to some Russian Mob.”

“Russian?” Joy repeats.  

Carter chuckles.

“That’s what I said.” Carter said. “I told mum you can speak Icelandic easily. It was our in-joke punchline you were Scandavian.” Carter briefly smiles at the memory. “I forgot to mention; don’t you remember about the fog you made?”

“I have one power, dofus.” Joy said, calling her brother by a childish name.

“Dweeb, you have two.” Carter said, holding up two fingers.

“One.” Joy argues back.

“Two.” Carter insists. “We kept it as a secret.”

“Then why do I not remember it?” Joy asks.

Carter picks up the glass.

“You never used it again after . .Mr Odd. “Carter said as he leans back against the chair. “Try to remember.” Carter turns his hand right which made the content inside the glass wobbly. “I _know_ you can.”

Joy closes her eyes as Carter takes a sip from the glass. The faint memory of hearing items flying around began to come clear; the memory that Loki had sealed for her as a child.All she could see was a light gray color that seemed to move up and down with faint darker outlines.She squeezes her eyes. _Must remember,_ Joy coaches herself, _You’re not a child anymore._

Surprisingly these outlines were clearing up not remaining as a blur that usually is what she saw among the colors. Then another part of her memory returns; hearing what could have been people knocked against a wall and falling with a thud. Then other memories came to her from before Mr Odd had ever walked in. Joy remembered instances where the clouds had some power to lure her and the two brothers to sleep at night. Other moments came to light. And some of them involved using the clouds as protection from people finding her.

“I remember.” Joy said, as her eyes open.

“I believe someone owes me an apology.” Carter said, holding a voice recorder. He has one thumb pressing down on the big circuler power button.

“Sorry.” Joy apologized.

Carter stops the voice recorder.

“Now I get to visit Bichard’s grave and play your apology.” Carter said, with a snicker.

“Oh pa-lease.” Joy said. “Bichard was a kid when he died, what kind of interest would his ghost have in hearing me say ‘no’ repeatedly?”

“You never apologized to him for stealing his toys.” Carter reminds Joy.

“He never asked for an apology.” Joy said.

“So, dweeb, why did you stop saying ‘I am sorry’ with your heart?” Carter asks. Joy went silent, a bit secretive. “Remember why we didn’t tell pops about this cloud thing?”

“I remember.” Joy said.

“We didn’t want Pops to spoil in our fun.” Carter recalls, putting down the glass. “I once remember you used the fog to save a kitten.” He smiles quite fondly at it. “Heck it was a cloud that Mary Poppins could have applied her make-up on.”

__                               ___

Our scene transfers to a woman with a black veil over her face. It would be hard for a man to get a response from this woman why she is wearing a veil that usually is seen at funerals. This is Margret of Asgard. We can see her white boots were custom made because the claw tips seem intentional. Margret opens the door, goes inside, and heads down the hallway paying no attention to the open door.

“Hey, watch where you’re going!” A rude tenant said, after Margret’s shoulder bumped into them.

Margret silently went by while not making a word. The rude tenant shook their head and she goes up the stairs while trailing her hands covered in lizard scales on the wooden rail. An average individual would not have known this woman might be followed due to her careless attitude. The black dress with lace long sleeves compliment the stockings that match its color.

Margret walks down a hallway with a slow pace.But she stops midway when something seemed out of the ordinary. The door to her apartment is ajar. She takes out an electrifying light blue dagger out of her purse. The hair on her neck went up just as fear that some fool had entered her apartment by using a hair pin. Margret walks towards the door with dagger close in hand. She presses her left hand on the door making it slide forwards smoothly.

There stood a dark man with white gloves and a face that most Asgardians would share; a perfect face.

“Who are you?” Margret asks with a hiss.

“Everyone calls me, Mr Odd.” Mr Odd said, cleaning off his white gloves that had dirt from touching a remote. He wore this unusual hat   which seemed to block the view of his eyes. “But you can call me ‘Farrold’.” Margret’s lizard eyes narrow at him. “We never met until today.”

“Pharold.” Margret repeats Mr Odd’s little nickname. “Far-er-Old, Phar-uh-cold, Fair cold.”

“It is Fair Rolled.” Mr Odd said. “This should be easy for an Asgardian mutant to pronounce.”

“Farrold,” Margret begins to warn him. “Leave my place of peace if you prefer not to be killed by your greed.”

“Oh.” Mr Odd said with a snicker. “I have an offer.”

Margret holds her Asgardian dagger.

“That would leave you dead!” Margret charges at him.

Mr Odd takes a step to the side which lets Margret land on the couch.

“I am eager to tell you my offer.” Mr Odd said, rubbing his hands together. “Do you seek vengeance against the man who gave you this impairment?”

“Prefer you call it as a curse.” Margret said, getting up from the couch with the dagger in hand. Her eyes seem unnatural. “Not an impairment.”

“So is this a ‘Yes’ from you?” Mr Odd said.

Margret nods.

“But I’m curious as to why you ask.” Margret said. “Usually I do not get visitors.”

“I met Loki in Winsconsin.” Mr Odd said. “He did not recognize me at all. And I’ve learned he is banished from Asgard until he learns what love is.” A vengeful look spreads on Margret’s face. “And if we want to give him hell; we should design our plan. Not surprise each other.”

Margret folds her arms.

“What do you get out of this?” Margret asks.

“I have my sights on someone else.” Mr Odd said. “It would seem best in my interest to make sure no one is aware of what I am doing.”


	18. Without a title

"Heimdall, send me to Midgard." Kettie, a warrior Healer, said in a  soft voice.

Kettie  is a young Asgardian woman who is a healer. She stood across from the gigantic circular blueish green portal that seems to resemble water magically made to remain up in a bowl that is leaning against the wall on it's side. Heimdall hadn't seen this young Asgardian in what can be guessed as days.

"Why?" Heimdall asks.

"I have orders from the king." Kettie said, her left eye twitching.

"I've never seen a Asgardian's eye twitch like yours." Heimdall notes.

"You are suggesting that I am lying." Kettie said, covering her left eye. _A healer should be able to heal her problems,_ Kettie reminded herself.

"No." Heimdall said. "I am pointing out your eye twitched."

"The King's mother is sending me." Kettie said. "I have an address for a young Midgardian."

"And who might that be?" Heimdall asks.

"Someone you may have met."  Kettie said.

"I have met many Midgardians." Heimdall said. "And those who did come to Asgard were sent back to their realm."

"This one is different." Kettie said.

"How different?" Heimdall asks, raising one of his dark eyebrows.

"Frigga did not specify."  Kettie said.

Heimdall sends Kettie to Midgard.It is nighttime in Midgard as depicted by the night sky dotted in stars and a huge light gray moon.Kettie arrives into Joy's house through the backdoor that was left unlocked which was puzzling to say for the least. The hallway had purple floor rugs, counters with bowls that had junk items, nice portraits dotting the walls, and some fancy lights attached to the ceiling.

Kettie can feel a joyful vibe from down the hall. It seemed way too easy to enter a Midgardian's house.

The vibe guides Kettie into a unlocked room. Kettie makes the door disappear. She walks into the room with the unusual painting on the ceiling above the bed that has a sleeping Joy, a table full of glasses,a mirror with pictures and slips of paper that had writing, and some technology devices on the counter. What was more interesting is that there's a pair of glasses on a nightstand beside the bed.

"Frigga must be wise to chose you." Ketti said, looking down to the woman.

Kettie puts her hand on Joy's elbow. This light tap summons a red transparent projection of Joy levitating above the sleeping body.Kettie  narrows her eyes at a troubling sight that didn't seem to be considered normal for a Midgardian. _Why is this present?,Kettie wonders, this kind of inflammation only occurs in Psychic's childhood._

"Oh right."  Kettie said, snapping her fingers. "Midgardians are not specialized in magic."

Kettie heals a part of Joy's eyes that somehow were enlarged. The healed part of the eye leaves Joy with a large clear tunnel view but the surrounding perspective around it is still blurry. The red transparent mirror image of Joy dissipates from perspective and Kettie draws back her hand away from the elbow. She had full knowledge this gift would not inflict pain on Joy. She walks towards the mirror that had all the photo's sticking to the brown wooden frame.

Kettie raises her eyebrow at one of these pictures.

"Loki?" Kettie said, squinting her eyes at one of the photo's.  Joy groans from the bed turning over while muttering  'stupid dog'. He somehow looked different but maybe it was because of the Midgardian garment and the lighting. "That is Loki."

Surprisingly she could see that in one of these photo's that Loki was slipping a rat into some-one's pocket. What she could also tell that the main focus of the picture was on a young man with bizaar hair and a african american man holding a glass of wine in one hand. The men looked to be happy yet there was a odd twinkle in the eye of this man who held the wine;that twinkle was unique. It reminded her of someone she knew way back when many years ago on Asgard.

Someone who had left Asgard.

"Mommy, I don't have school today." Joy said in a whining tone as she fell out of bed. "Middle School is for kids, not adults."

Joy lands on the floor with a thud. Kettie made the door instantly real then made herself appear invisible.

"Back to sleepy land." Joy said climbing back into the queen sized bed as Kettie slowly walks her way to the door. Kettie trips over a teddy bear and made it fly into the wall. "Ah come on, I can't be _that_ disturbed from waking up."

The teddy flies over to Joy and then she falls asleep cuddling with it.Kettie gets up then gets out of the house exactly how she came into the building in the first place. We see the backdoor quietly shut behind Kettie moments after departing through an unlocked door.We go back to the mirror that clearly indicates it has been a while since Loki had been banished to Midgard around a month. Another can say that tonight was, and is techniclly, July 10th.  

____             ____

_.  . .July 11th . .  ._

_.  . . 4:56 PM.   .  ._

 We find our scene outside a house in a nice wooden porch. Ginger is sitting on a porch chair in front of a small table that has a laptop. Ginger had a nagging frustration about Joy not admitting about her developing crush on Loki. What did  not help was Conner was obsessing over the possibility that a camera from the goosebumps books existed.

"Title  . . ." Ginger said, tapping her fingers on the desk.Ginger taps on her chin thinking. A title crashes into her mind; _The Perfect Parody._ Ginger's fingers flew across the keyboard giving the movie file a neww title. Then she edited the credits and the opening theme with the title coming in after the cold opener. "Back to perfection."

We hear a theme tone from Ginger's pocket so she takes out the phone and answers it.

"Hello!" Ginger greets. "This is Ginger--"

"Ginger,inside the house!" Joy yells over the phone.

"Joanna?" Ginger asks, pressing the phone into her ear.  "What are you calling for this time?"

"Go inside." Joy said. 

"Why?" Ginger asks.

"Just do it!" Joy said. "You'll thank me."

Ginger picks up the laptop, then walks through the open doorway into her house. She heard speeding wheels headed close to the yard. A car zipped through the wooden fence then crashed into the porch.Ginger steps back  nearly dropping the laptop at the same time.Her face is twisted up in horror. 

"How did you know that was going to happen?" Ginger halfway yells into the phone.  "Joanna!"

"You won't believe me." Joy said.

"Try me." Ginger said.

"I can see." Joy breaks the news. "No glasses!"

"Um what?" Ginger asks, curious. "Since when did the heavenly forces decide to end your blindnerss?"

"I'm technically still blind." Joy said. "I took off my glasses, and then BAM! Realized I had tunnel vision!" Ginger can pace Joy walking back and forth waving her right hand into the air. "But the sides surrounding it is blurry."

"Joanna.  .. " Ginger begins to say.

"I saw this motion picture with voices and movement; then BAM!" Joy continues, with a slight pause in her speech.  "You were hit by a car and left for dead." We see Ginger glance down to her computer screen that read 'Movie sent' in big black bold letters. "I prevented your death."

"Joanna." Ginger said, with a hint of a serious tone.

"I'm not lying." Joy said.

"Ever since Mr Laufeysun has arrived; you've been talking about things like this!" Ginger reminds Joy.Frustrations with Joy acting like there were werewolves, vampires, and fairies existing in Winconscin made Ginger lose sanity straws. "You  need to take a _vacation_."

"Crashing into a Norse God with my jeep isn't normal." Joy said.  "It's not like I intended to hit Loki with my jeep!" Ginger could hear in the background a lot of music. "And no, I am perfectly confident. In fact this is one of my best moments in life!"

Ginger  sighs while shaking her head. 

"Don't tell me you've been divulging into Norse Culture." Ginger said. 

"I need all the information about Asgard and Norse Gods my hands can get on." Joy said. "It's not a pretty life to be facing an enemy who's a god and all."

"Lunatic." Ginger said.

"So not." Joy argues back. "If you want proof, try stabbing Loki with a knife."

"Joanna, that's murder!" Ginger exclaims.

"No, that's proving a point Loki has steel skin." Joy said, as Ginger heard a slap. "Don't you dare touch my butt."

 "I have to report a car crash, bye." Ginger said, hanging up.

What little did Ginger knew; she sent the edited movie play to a film festival.


	19. You've never been more wrong about me

_.      . July 11th .  . ._

_.  . Monday . .8:43 PM  
_

"It's the circle, circle of the life!" The  entire audience--minus Loki--sang with the ending to The Lion King.

Loki had somehow found himself going with some co-workers to watch a Disney cartoon movie that had recently returned to theaters for a limited time. About half of the movie-goers were dressed up in big coats that match their earmuffs and huge gloves. Loki was not effected by whatever cold front had entered Winsconsin's biggest city Milwaukee. Considerably the month of July is usually hot for this city not cold.

The credits finally rolled during the presentation of Simba and Nala's newborn cub by a baboon.

"Remind me why I bothered to lose hear my hearing, Hank." Loki said.

"Hakuna Matata." Hank said, getting up.

"It means no worries!" Conner adds in a singing type of voice. We can see the rows of people heading to the lighted up pathway to the exit.  "For the rest of your days!"

The path became frozen that it somehow could be determined as 'slippery'. People were sent sliding down, tripping, and falling over one another because of the ice. Loki shook his head as he takes out a flat thin metal device. He  clicks on a button located on the side of this square device that must be small enough to fit his pocket. The screen becomes incredibly bright  that it showed Loki's blue face.

 We notice the blue frozen giant color fade away and be replaced by his pale skin. Loki holds up the device right at the  pathway with lights trailing down and people all over the lower half of the theater room on the floorwere groaning in the mist of their complaints about this mess.Loki's face became troubling but a genunine 'what?' look in his eyes.

"Is that. . .ice?" Hank asks, from behind Loki.

"It is." Loki said, lowering the device down towards the floor.

We see the beautiful white sheet of ice  spreading from  Loki's feet down towards the pathway and up towards the end.

"I don't know about you, but this is awesome!" Conner declares as he climbs over the empty seats. 

"The god who claims to not be capable of magic declines to tell he can make ice?" Hank asks.

"I didn't expect it." Loki said in a way that is comparable to someone accusing of him lying about something he is not lying about. To simply put; Loki looks rather insulted. "Father had stripped me of my powers and banished me from Asgard until I--"

"Learn what love is." Hank finishes for Loki in a  low voice. "You know there's more to life than not saying 'I can make frosty the snowman and freeze a beehive with it'." We can see Conner's figure at the top row of seats. "Just tell everyone you'll doing this."

"I do not see good in it." Loki said.

"Of course there will be!" Hank said. "Imagine how many people will regard you as the 'Jack Frost' man, and then, movies be made about you!" Hank turns off his ringing phone. "It's how life on Earth works around here, sort of."

"I do not intend to tell." Loki said turning off the device.

"Woohoo!" Conner hollers, sliding down the ice.

"On the bright side our goosebumps nerd is enjoying it." Hank said, pointing over his shoulder.

Loki puts the device away and went down the rows of seats like everyone else. Everyone else was acting careful so they wouldn't slide on the ice.We watch Loki walk over the people who were on the floor obviously knocked out. Hank groaned rubbing his forehead while shaking his head at once.

"I used to think gods were reasonable." Hank mumbled to himself.

Loki exited the theater room leaving a trail of ice growing behind him. Our goody two shoes takes a step to the side  and watches a herd of people sliding in a form of flight out then land on the floor in a cluster. He looks down to his boots that were still in fine shape not frozen at all. Out of the corner of Loki's eye he saw a familiar woman figure sticking out from the desk with the movie munchies in front of the theater employee. Loki looks up then his eyes gaze is focused on this figure with racing thoughts as he recognized the figure's pose and type of dark veil covering the figure's face.

It was her; the one who Loki made the mistake to attempt helping.

"Margret?"  Loki calls out with a certain ounce of surprise in his voice.

Margret raises her head up from the table leaving her creepy-clawed lizard hands on the table.Her eyes became evident to the employee and to Loki.We can see the employee is white as a ghost from a cartoon movie made in the 1990's.Margret is different from the last time they had met under different circumstances and different consequences that ended a 'could-should-would have been' relationship.Margret's lizard eyes were displaying hate not a clear reflective and intelligently smart individual who shared a heart that couldn't be sold. It had been two hundred twenty five years since Loki last saw those eyes not the lizard eyes redirecting hate at him.

"Lizard!" The employee shrieks in a girly voice.

In a snap the lights went out and glass breaking sounds suddenly became present.What remained of the other lights that were still hanging on were blinking on and off repeatedly. People screamed as cracking sounds came from the ceiling which ended up with collapsing material that perpelled more hestieria from everyone else.Instead of heading for the doors, Loki ran straight towards the direction he had seen Margret.The next second  lights were back on but Margret is not standing in front of the desk as he had last seen her. So Loki came to a stop before he could stumble over a trash can.

"Mischief man, duck!" Hank yells.

"There is not a duck in a theater!"  Loki said, argumentively as he turns to the side.

Loki caught a glimpse of an Asgardian dagger zip past him.

"A god should know I wasn't talking about a real duck." Hank said.  "Quick, let's get outta here before--" Loki goes the direction that the dagger came from.  "Dude, you're going the wrong way!" He gets a finger from Loki. "Fine be that way!"

Loki caught sight of her as the lights turn back on and off. Eventually he came to the roof. There he saw her standing by the ledge holding what is no doubt a small leaf-like blade with a cloth wrapped around the handle.

"Margret?" Loki said, walking away from the door.  "Why are you destroying this theater?"

The door shuts behind Loki.

"I never had much fun destroying buildings." Margret said, turning her head to the left.  "Unless you were in it; it made my fantasy more entertaining."

"Margret, stop it." Loki said as  he could hear a part of the wall break apart.

"I am surprised you're falling for someone." Margret said.  "Your powers are deceiving."

"I have not fallen for anyone." Loki said, stepping forward. His face did not reflect any pain and hurt from her comment.  "Take your veil off; and speak with me  face to face."

"Last time we did  that ..." Margret looks down to the leaf blade item  in her hand. "You gave me this _curse._ "

"It was a life saver for you." Loki said.

"I never asked for it." Margret said.

"Yes, yes you did." Loki argues back.

"Loki, I can kill everyone you know and leave your sorry ass stuck in this realm."  Margret said. "I was there when you cast that spell on me!" She takes off the black veil.  "My face is not beautiful, it is ugly and disgusting and horrid!" Margret adds a hiss.  "I am a freakshow, not an Asgardian would accept marrying a lizard mutant."

"Your skin was peeling off." Loki said, rubbing his two fingers together. "My brother could not bare to watch you suffer in agony and die _painfully_." Loki stops rubbing his two fingers together then lowers his hand down. "Thor kept pestering me to use any spell, any that would prevent your ailment from leading up to death."

Margret approaches Loki.

"And you didn't think for one second that death would be a better option?" Margret asks. She didn't get a reply from Loki. "You're a natural born liar,Loki." She turns away from the pale man as the ground beneath her feet shook. "And you are on a self-imposed exile from Asgard."

Loki frowns.

"You've never been more wrong about me." Loki said as his hands balled up into fists.

"Which part?" Margret asks, turning to her left side.

"The last part." Loki said, and then kicks her down and grabs the blade Margret was holding. He pins the lizard mutant to the ground holding the blade. "First; I will kill you, next I will leave your body in this rubble, next I will continue on with my dull life and forget this ever happened."

Margret narrows her eyes at him.

"You wouldn't dare." Margret said.

"There is a agency for people like you." Loki said. "It's called SHIELD. And if they find your body and find out I've been here; they get will 'I don't know you' reply from me." Margret's eyes begin to grow wide as though getting what Loki is alluding to. "They will likely take samples from your body and attempt to bend magic."

"No!" Marget yelps.

"Then stop your hissy fit." Loki said.

"Under the dead body of Odin." Margret said.

"Odin is dead." Loki said.  "Thor is the king. So you're swearing under Thor's body, I never pictured you saying it."

Margret is surprised.

"What?"  Margret said.

"You  heard it right." Loki said.  "Thor is the king."

"I can't be a ass kisser to your BROTHER!" Margret said, startling Loki by grabbing the Asgardian dagger and stabbing it into his chest. "You are a liar about Thor being king!" Loki stumbles back taking out the electrifying stinging blade from his chest. "I should have known you would do this to throw me off."

Loki drops the blade.

"I am not lying." Loki said, as his hand remained open and then it closed.

Hank came out a door with a big  shot gun.

"Hey Lizard lady!" Hank calls out catching Margret's attention. "Get a load of this!"

Hank pressed the trigger to the shotgun. The bullet sent Margret crashing into another building that stopped the theater from collapsing. Loki bends over grasping at his bleeding chest that would have been easy to fix with a temporary spell or a Asgardian healer. Hank came over to Loki holding the large shot gun pretty much concerned for Loki.

"You okay dude?" Hank asks.

"I was just stabbed at the chest." Loki remarks.  "I wouldn't be okay."

Hank picks up the dagger by the handle.

"Star Wars sword." Hank said, putting the blade into a bag. He turns his attention back to Loki.  "Come on; you need medical attention, and--" Hank looks down to see there isn't ice trailing. "Let's go before your ice kicks in."

__                                                                                  ____

_...8:48 PM..._

_..Alabama... July 13th .  . .  
_

"Lucy, what if I shaved my head?" Oratio asks.

Lucci is sitting on the couch with a glass of wine in her left hand.

"What?" Lucci said, puzzled by the unexpected question.

"What if I shaved my head?" Oratio repeats, sitting down next to Lucci holding a glass.  "Would you still find me attractive?"

Lucci laughs a little.

"Of course!" Lucci said, putting down the glass on the counter.  "I get to have the opportunity to rub your head for luck before I do some bowling."

"You don't need luck, you always get aces when we bowl."  Oratio said. 

"Not all the time." Lucci said, as the ground rumbled which made the lights flicker. She rolls an eye pretty much irritated because this has happened numerous times before. "Concert again." Lucci takes out a glow in the light dark item from under the couch. "How can you manage to live near a area that can make the power go out?"

Oratio shrugs.

"It is music to my ears." Oratio said, as the pitter patter of rain came pouring down outside.

Oratio uses his finger to pull down a row from the white blinds. It was completely dark outside in a way that seemed odd. _The news station is wrong; again,_ Oratio thought with a frown as he takes his finger off the flat blind. A loud crackling thunder sound made the blackness be replaced by a white atmosphere that showed all the houses, mailboxes, garages, and the front lawns. Lucci shrieks probably startled by the loud noises. In a second the light was gone but the house lights went off.

"You scream louder than most people." Oratio said.

We see a figure of a man in the distance hovering in the sky while holding what appears to be a hammer.

"Says the man who shrieked like a girl when we were going down a roller coaster." Lucci said, and then we hear a snap. We can see a green light showing the two individuals.  "Much better."

Our perspective goes outside then we see a  big, huge thunder bolt strike the house.

That pretty much made the house explode for some unexplainable reason.


	20. Graboid hunting part 1

"I did not see anything about hunting  'Graboids' in the packet." Loki said, sitting in a large helicopter with a good number of co-workers on the benches holding big log shaped items that had circular holes joining into a curly bumpy hook. Basically they were holding some specialized guns which had unique built triggers.

"In the fine print there is." Elliet, A friend of Hank, said. "It's on page three and the text is below the summarizing of customer service."

Elliet's  name is often  spelled as 'Ellioet' and 'Elliet'. Sometimes Elliet doesn't write his name neatly.

The helicopter can be at best described as a huge machine with study walls. It is basically a transport helicopter that would be mostly associated to Military operations and plausibly in disaster related films where a group of men jump off with parachutes. Nearly everyone  is wearing seatbelts that did not match their umbrellas, helmets, and guns. The one who wasn't wearing a seat belt is Loki.

Izzy Banner, a co-worker who has supposedly been in Customer service for awhile, seemed very stoic sitting beside Conner.Izzy's face reminds Loki of Asgardian warriors prepared for an inevitable death defending Asgard and retrieving a item or a person.It seemed as if Izzy had been trained as a soldier probably a long time ago. It wasn't because everyone was eerily calm holding weapons that can kill other Midgadians and were 'typical' modern day monster hunters.Loki could feel something is not right about Izzy.

"It's okay." Conner said,sitting across from Loki. "Not everyone notices the fine print." Unlike everyone else Conner was holding two of the same gun, except the second one is relatively smaller. "Joy doesn't usually get the memo about it."

"Are you telling me that Joy has not been aware all of you hunt Graboids?" Loki asks.

"Yes." Conner said.

"And Ginger."  Hank adds.

"And why did this requirement to hunt 'Graboids' come into effect?" Loki asks.

"Ten years ago." Bryan Stormwell, the guy who Joy had broke up a month before hitting Loki with her jeep, replied. "It was all thanks to this paranoid guy who shares a love for guns like Joy does." He taps on his knee thinking. "His name started with a 'B'."

"Burt Gummer!" Elliet declares. "The guy with the Atlanta Hawks Baseball caps."

"He was really persuasive about it, too." Hank said.

Loki looks at Hank oddly.

"How long have you been working for Charol?" Loki asks.

"Eleven years." Hank said. 

"Hank." Loki said as the turbulence gets rocky. "You do know I can tell when you are lying."

"Twelve years." Hank admits. "I like my current income, don't wanna change my work days."

There was a sudden rocky turbulence that made the helicopter sway back and forth. Loki grabs on to a handle right above his head instead of grabbing for the seatbelt. You can say in a way that something had whisked by the gigantic helicopter.

"Who wants to guess which type  of Graboid hit our Mannie?" Elliet asks.

"Ass Blaster!" A few of the men shout at once.

Loki's eyes went wide.

"Or a shrieker shot from a cannon!" Tara, the one who was usually at the reception desk, adds in.

It certainly surprised Loki that Tara is here but not Ginger or Joy. Even the bookworm had read the fine print before signing papers but not Joy. He hadn't seen the fine print when reading the terms and the rules for being employed, but what stood out to Loki in that paper was a 'You don't have to standing all day' other than everything in it. With the information he had learned a month ago Loki used the knowledge and his skill to have a day off every Friday.

"What a rascal." Hank said, commenting on the Shrieker.  He could tell Loki is confused.  "We call the old gal 'Mannie',Loki." Hank points up to the ceiling.  "You know, since the helicopter is so old."

A hard body struck the helicopter sending it swinging to the other side. A red light blinks on and off in the room that would make people feel nauseous. A few of the men unbuckle their seat belts even Conner did too, then head to the opening without slipping and sliding along the way. They held their guns in a way that can be best  compared to soldiers preparing for a shoot out. _Are Midgardians is this stupid?,_ Loki asks himself as one of the men pressed the red button near the big garage door surface.

The door slides down.

There is a huge worm creature--that isn't a worm at all--with a open beak part that has these tentacles which by no surprise have mouths.The rows of sharp glinting white teeth from these tentacles caught Loki's attention. Another way to put it was; it made him fear these creatures.Loki's eyes went wide as he stares at the gigantic Graboid  that has a disgusting open mouth.The men, and some of them were women, took a step away from the perimeter the graboid's tentacles could go.

"Oh hell,"  Conner  said, pointing the guns at this huge Graboid. "The Graboid's have grown twice their size."

"A idiot scientist  probably sent out a genetically engineered animal into the wild." Izzy guesses with her gun aimed at the Graboid.

"Let's send this dirt shark to the stone age!" Tara said with a toothpick sticking out of the corner of her mouth. 

"Graboid, Tara." The third man corrects her.

"Fine, whatever." Tara said. "See you in hell, dirt shark!"

The small group pressed the triggers. Small items resembling grenades shot out surrounded by a noticeably dark smoke. The small grenade bullets struck into the graboid leaving gaping holes except one did not puncture its way out of the Pre-Cambrian creature.A man from the group presses a button on the side of his gun. Nothing happened but we can see that everyone else did the exact same thing one second after another.  Tara clicks the uneven button that has a dent in corner.

The Graboid exploded and then orange guts were sent flying in.

"One down!" Conner cheers, doing a fist pump.

"A whole lot left." Tara said.


	21. Graboid hunting part 2

Nearly half of the usual working crowd is absent. An average and nosy co-worker would question why it is this way, and then there are people who don't notice.For years Joy decided not to bother asking why floor nineteen was nearly vacant in the summer.She wanted to save that mystery for last. The vacant green-black cubicle stood out among the decorated square boxes. There were other designs that were not 'of earth' displaying that the cubicle wasn't made in America but from _somewhere else._ Joy had an itch nagging at the back of her head to solve this mystery once and for all. _  
_

Maybe it was the feelings.The feelings that had started when Joy first found a attractive-hot guy on the side of the road and realized she hit him.And perhaps Joy _missed_ Loki? Screw it, she misses Loki.

"Joannaa." Ginger said, tapping on the edge of Joy's cubicle.Ginger's voice snaps Joy out of her day-dream.

"What?" Joy said, looking away from the computer screen.

"We have a new guy coming in next week." Ginger said, excitedly holding her left hand in mid air. "You'll never guess what his name is--"

"Robert Williams of Ireland and England." Joy interupts Ginger.

"Uh no." Ginger said as a light-hearted smile grew on her face. She slides her left hand forward as though gliding off a reflective surface.   "It is Harry Trubman."

Joy's eyebrows met each other.

"You're joking." Joy said.

Ginger leans forward over the edge of the cubicle wwhile her hands rest on the edge.

"That's what I said to Charol!" Ginger said. "Andddd Charol wants us to make sure he doesn't have a problem  settling into a cubicle beside yours." She lowers her gaze down towards the rost pink computer mouse that had an image of Princess Aurora on it. "Sadly, Conner's cubicle is going to be Harry's work space."

Joy turns towards her left towards the direction of Conner's cubicle.Conner's cubicle is decorated in fake spider webs,black bat designs that stood out from the light gray default color, printed covers of the Goosebumps books, and several pinned autographs signed by RL Stine.She turns her attention back to Ginger.

"So  Conner..."

"Yep."

"Got a job offer at a Halloween festival in Mitchigan?"

"Uh no."

"Then why are we getting a new guy in Conner's cubicle?"

Ginger taps her fingers on the solid surface top of the cubicle.

"I hate to break it to you, but..."

 __                                         __                       __

_...A few hours ago.._

_..Destination unclear..._

"Do you always enjoy going out and shooting monsters?" Loki asks.

"It is a entertaining hobby." Hank said,and then the graboid gun clicked.

Hank ran out of ammo for the current mode of the gun.Hank used a choice word

"This?" Loki said, shooting down a smaller graboid.  "You call THIS a entertaining hobby?"

Hank shares a little laugh at Loki's question with a shake of his head. He puts the ammo-less graboid gun under one shoulder then leaned his side to rocky terrian wall and started taking off the big boots that had zippers at the sides.Loki is paying no attention to Hank since he is shooting at the fleet of Graboids.

"You might want to start looking up once in a while." Hank said.

Confused, Loki looks up and saw Hank walking--without his socks--up the rocky terrarian wall.

"You're a mortal." Loki said, gaping at Hank's strange ability.

"Right." Hank said,continuing the  "i" in the word right like it was longer.  "I am a human, after all." Hank presses a rounded button on the top of the graboid gun, this initiates a automatic change to the weapon design. The rounded exit for the bullet became part of three exits. "Time to be squashed, dirt sharks!"

Hank's index finger clicks on the newly replaced trigger while his aiming is at the three graboids.Three bullet shaped cannon ball sized blasts whizzed out of the machine steaming dark quick smoke. The three bulletts land in the first two graboids that lost their upper  half thanks to the explosive weaponary shell. The lower parts of the two deceased graboid corpses are left sticking up from the ground. The third graboid is seen tremoring away.

"You are lying." Loki said.

"I am not lying!" Hank shouts. "I am..." Hank lowers the advanced graboid gun towards the light gray rock floor. "I am a mix, 'kay?"

"Liar." Loki said, with a frown.

Hank sighs, lowering his head and his shoulders decreased.We see the ground move in a rounded mound shape straight towards the rocky area.Hank goes through his brown-white hair using his left hand as though it were a comb.

"I became this way thanks to the invention genius Tony Stark." Hank finally said.

"Tony Stark?" Loki repeats.  "You mean...that Midgardian who is part machine?"

Hank nods.

"So I guess you met him." Hank said, walking down the wall.

"Years ago." Loki said, bitterly. "My brother had became attracted to his girlfriend 'Pepper'. It didn't turn out good for Thor in the end.I don't understand why he bothered making a relationship with someone not from Asgard."


	22. Graboid hunting part 3

The story of how a man became a 'mix' is something meant to be told not explained through a scenery change.this is just the case for Hank. Except he is not all the way to being a typical everyday man. Especially when he is standing in front of the god who is literately, quite literate, the god of lies. Correction: The prince of lies.

"When did it happen?" Loki asks, quite intrigued to hear how a mortal became not all the way 'mortal'ish.

"Twelve years ago."

"Twelve?"

"Yes.."   
  
"You started working for Charol _eleven_ years ago."

Hank smiles a little. He seems to be recalling a fond moment for a minute there.  
  
"Yeah,I did." Hank acknowledges slightly nodding. "I used to be Paul Hankconic. it was twelve years ago I...  pretty much died back there. " Hank said, rubbing the back of his neck. "Tony assumed at first I was a ghost." Hank goes on. "To everyone I was dead. To everyone I had died in a freak accident."  
  
There was a tremor coming up from the ground headed straight their way. Loki seems to be obvious to this slowly approaching tremor. The story that his 'friend' had to tell was more interesting to hear than from a raccoon capable of speaking going on about its life story.   
  
"I...went on for a left behind pen." Hank explains. "Tony left it behind. He didn't see the point in going back for a simple pen." He shook his head.  "Everything minor is important. No matter its value."   
  
The tremor came to a  stop behind one part of the hard surfaced boulder like surface.

"I may have. . . pressed something going in there." Hank said. "And I still blame Stark for dropping that pen.  He knows my insistence to get the smallest things back."   
  
"You are...very flawed."  Loki said.  
  
"I am more flawed than I was before." Hank said "Next thing I knew, I was different. My face, my forehead,and my ears."  Hank touches his ears. "And my toes were so claw like they should have been fingers not toes."   
  
"Are you saying your feet have fingers?"  Loki asks.  
  
"No."Hank said.  "I am saying my feet are very different. Before, they had been webbed."   
  
"I don't see how webbed feet are important." Loki said.

Hank laughs at Loki's reply. He had a good laugh that wasn't too cheery  and wasn't too walrus like.  
  
"That's what David said to me..." Hank said, as his laughter went down. "Right after I showed him my feet and why they shouldn't be exposed at the beach. Man, just look down at my feet."

Loki looks down. He could not see any hair on Hank's feet whats over. Hank had strange elongated toes  that appear to have been mutated but not through the means of evolution. It was then Loki finally noticed that above Hank's ankle was not covered in hair. But instead it was scales that had the perfect pigment to match Caucasian.

"I never seen anything quite like this before." Loki remarks turning his attention away from Hank's feet.  
  
We see the tremor creature has it's tentacles that are pink slowly sliding up the upper surface towards the men. Loki seems oblivious to it but that is not the point there. There IS not a sight of a bird in the air or a snake lurking around for food or anything. If a person had lived here there wouldn't be remains.The tentacles crawled up the mountain surface.

"It's quite new, really." Hank said it as if it were nothing.

Loki shot out a jet of ice right at the upcoming tentacles then sends down the breeze of ice down the cliff-side of the mountain boulder  natural made mound similar hill. Hank watches the Graboid become frozen in ice.

"Tell me you know how to shoot than talk." Hank said, looking over. 

"All my shots were beginnings luck." Loki said. 

"...My friend, let me teach you the ways of the gun." Hank said, raising his pistol at the distance.  "Hold it steady in a way you mean each bullets direction." He pressed the trigger which sent the bullet flying off into the distance. "And you have to aim that gun like you mean the projecting insults."

Loki looks to Hank. 

"When did you suddenly turn to describing insults as bullets?" Loki asks. 

"A long time ago." Is all Hank could say.

____                                                ____                                                            ____

_...2000..._

_...New York._

Hank had taken the opportunity to take a visit to his old friend Tony Stark. But in a new light and a new type of face that wouldn't be associated to who he had been before. He had recently gotten a Job at Wisconsin, Milwaukee.He couldn't spell the city's name over his dead body or be forced to do it under rigorous torture.  
  
He sat in the chair taking his time to admire the new added decorations in the business's room. There wasn't odd items dotting it. There was surely a tone of newness basically laying there pretty much attached by magnetic screws.He was the one who suggested to INVENT magnetic screws that could be put into the furniture with just a magnet being turned into a circle and the rest being done by the magnet itself.

"You are here for me?" Tony said, entering the room with this charismatic smile.

Hank looks over to see Tony Stark.  
  
"Obviously." Hank said, with the smallest of all friendly smiles. He hadn't been here in a year. It felt so long ago that the supposed accident had happened.

"Who sent you this time?" Tony asks, coming over to this big front desk that had a nice top layer pretty much made of glass.

"No one." Hank said. "Well, honestly.He taps his fingers together. "I am here from a Press agency." _Good_ ,Hank thought, _you just lied to your best friend.Never pictured to that happen. Oh welll, I am dead. to everyone._

"Is this for the new Paut-Koi robot brand?"

He had never heard of that brand before talking into his building.

"I don't think so." Hank said.

"Then what?" Tony asks.   
  
"it is, Anthony--I mean Mr Stark.."  Hank corrects himself, beginning with a lie.  "It is about a certain product you are developing. It is the Mix-Conological serum."   
  
"No one knows about it. We scrapped it long ago." Tony said at first. His hands were on the table.  "Who told you?"   
  
"I have my sources." Hank said, taking out a card.  "Call this guy. He knows everything that is going on inside this rust bucket."   
  
Tony took the card and glances down to it. He raises eyebrows at Hank.

"This number used to belong to a friend of mine. "  
  
 "Is your friend still around?"

Tony sat down into the chair across from Hank.

"No." Tony said. "He passed away last year."

The look on Tony's face easily read that he didn't  enjoy someone using the phone number that once belonged to a deceased friend.

"I-I-I actually got it from someone else." Hank admits. "He was a untrusty source, if you get what I mean."  He nervously laughs . "Here's the correct nu---"   
  
"No more numbers." Tony said, shaking his hand. "I would like to know what press agency you're from."   
  
"The New New York York news, daily news." Hank lies again. "They pay top dollar on it and it is pretty tempting to do what what they ask without questioning."   
  
"I willl get to them and, you, don't talk about this." Tony said. "I don't want this failed serum to be leaked on the media."   
  
"The internet just started." Han said.  "It's not really highly evolved. Media comes out slowly and not very fast. If news got out that would take a good week for it to...."   
  
"Exactly/." Tony said.  "I am not going to risk my company over a failed serum and law suits over a one man's mistake to go in there and get into the machine that once carried this serum and actually press the start button and make the entire building collapse."

Hank blinks multiple times. His grip on the chair tightened. He was having a recall moment where the machine went haywire and he felt something had inserted itself in his skin through his arm. He could recall the shakyness in the room. Hank recalls the sudden loud crackle from walls falling and giving in to whatever force had exerted itself. Hank rubs his forehead.   
  
""The building..." Hank said, with a pained sigh. He takes his hand off his forehead.  "It collapsed."  
  
"Yes, it did." Tony said. "If you want to be out of a gag order. Then don't talk about this."   
  
"Okay sir." Hank said, casually and with a slight attitude. "I guess my time with you is come to an end."

He used an old phrase that not many people used because it sounded so confusing and so sentence fragment like. He frankly made it up on his own two years ago before the incident had happened..Now these days he lived as men who could not age but live longer than most people. His face was different. He wasn't Paul Hankonic anymore.   
  
"Didn't catch your name." Tony said, as Hank was almost to the door.   
  
Hank tuns his head over his shoulder towards Tony.

And it was all because of that accident he could make his hair turned a silver kind of color.   
  
"Hank." Hank said.  "Hank Arnolds."   
  
He said in the way only Paul would have said it. He could see a look of familiarity in Tony' eyes.Hank smiles so little you wouldn't have known he was actually letting Tony believe and fall for his potential idea that Hank had indeed survived--no wait, Paul had survived as somebody else. He went through the door  before Tony stark could make a move or insists he stay. Perhaps Tony Stark wasn't thinking he was Paul. Maybe all that he was thinking that sounded familiar.

"Goodbye, old friend." Hank said to himself, in a low voice towards the door that lead to the business office with Tony Stark.

For now on, he wouldn't cross paths into his old life. He had to start anew.And actually begin admitting he was really gay. Because now, honestly men seemed more attractive than woman to Hank.He had really become a different person in the blink of an eye. We see Tony turn over the card to see a burnt black pen taped on. It had the exact dating from last year when he was the one who presented the prototype of a 'lizard life extender' for basically lizards.

"This can't be." Tony said, taking the pen off.

The black pen still had the golden insignia  "Stark Industries" with a big 'A'.Tony looks down to see there is a little message on the paper. The message read: _Next time don't leave it behind in a serum injection machine._ Tony drops the pen his hand shaking which made the card tremble in his hands. He pressed on the big black device on his desk.

"Yes Tony?" Happy--As in Happy Hogan--answered. Well actually his name is Harold Hogan. Happy  just has that name because he constantly refused to smile during his boxing days.

"Is Mr Arnolds still in the building?" Tony asks.

"He just left."  Happy said.

There is a pause on Tony's end. Tony is thinking about what he was about to say next.

"I shouldn't  be doing this." Tony said, with a shake of his head. "Forget I asked."

Tony clicked on the red button that ended this brief call.

____                                   ______                                         ___

_....2011..._

_...Still some time before Ginger tells Joy. . ._

Hank threw a rock. Loki caught it.

"Why were you throwing a rock at me?" Loki asks.

"...I wanted to see if a pair of eyes appeared in your hair." Hank said, his left eye twitching. 

There is a dead Graboid covered in ice--and halfway exposed with multiple holes a the remaining area still seen to the human eye. There were times that Loki viewed Midgardians as stubborn and silly mortals when it came to getting a straight answer out of them. Our scene transitions to probably fifteen minutes later.We can tell it has been five minutes because  Loki and Han were not at the deserted destination that we can probably call a mountain boulder  mound setting natural occurrence. Of course that would take a mouthful to explain rather than in simple English words and terminology. 

"He...He froze it?" Bryan asks.

"Yes!" Hank said, with a quick nod..  "He froze that little asss worm."

"It is called a Graboid." Loki corrects him."You told me that's what they are called. At least call them by what are you label them. It gets very confusing hearing Midgardians refer to animals with more than one name."

"Graboids have numerous names for their stages." Bryan said. "They are butterflies only huge and deadly."

"You call them butterflies, and and everyone calls them Graboids." Loki repeats. "That doesn't make quite sense.

"It makes sense to Burt Gummer." Hank and Bryan said at once.

"Ninja-ed." Izzy said.

" ...What does Ninja-ed mean?"  Loki asks.

"You said it first." Bryan said. "What's next? Is there more ass tentacle eaters out there?"

"I should be writing this down, shouldn't I?" Loki asks.

Hank is the one laughing.

"No, Loki." Hank said.  "You don't have to write all of our Little names for the big worm beasts."

"Graboids." Izzy corrects  them. "We've gotten reports they are out at the Ostrich farm."

"Ostrich farm." Bryan said, with a hard chuckle.  "Hah,those nut kickers."

"Nut Kickers?" Loki questions them.

"You don't want to know." Bryan said. 

"What are nut kickers?" Loki asks." I feel like I might regret asking."

"The girls kick you at the private spot." Izzzy said."The girl ostriches. The boys just stand there hard as rocks."

Our scene somehow transitions again to a evacuated large farm of ostriches that is empty. There is a  couple shriekers running around the area feeding off the dead animals left behind by the midgardians who couldn't bring them back. Izzy shook her head with a 'tk,tsk, tsk' sound at t least five times instead of three. We hear Hank counting each of the tkssks under his breath in a voice that wouldn't be heard.

They were watching from the mouth of Mannie.

"I call batch one." Bryan said.

"I call batch 3 with the Australian pick up guys." Hank said.

"Australians?" Loki looks over his shoulder to see there are men in hunting gear and very not so armored up."When did they get on aboard?"

"Right after we let our team split into groups." Izzy said. "These  guys know their way around this joint."

"So..." Hank said, glancing oddly to Izzy. "We're in Mexico?"

"Nah." Izzzy said. "We're on a island across from the United states that is awfully similar to Mexico. "I know it seems far too similar. I know. I told Charol we should be dubbing it New Mexico the great second."

"I call Batch 1 if anyone is curious." Loki said. "The groups look smaller instead of the ground Graboids."

"Wait until the surviving ass blasters come up from the grave." Hank said with a reassuring voice. "Then it will be a challenge."


	23. Graboid hunting part 4

"So, what did you do?" Loki asks.

Loki and Bryan were in a vacant part of the Ostrich Farm. The Ostrich farm that is set out in the open on an island  that is a great distance from the United States.This island happens to have these gigantic landmasses of rock similar to a mound and a hill merged together, even a grassy plain completed by a beach.

Bryan raises an eyebrow.

"I don't know what you're referring to." Bryan said.

"Why Joy broke up with you." Loki said, earning a quizzical look from Bryan.  "I did not hear the full story."

The look in Bryan's eyes were convincing as though Loki's reply seemed believe-able.  
,  
"Funny story." Bryan said, his eyes wary for the shriekers."I had sex with a chick in Joy's bed." He had this comforting dreamily sigh.  "Best sex in my life."

Loki seems baffled at first.  
  
"...You had what in her bed?" Loki asks.  
  
"Sex."  Bryan said.   
  
"I know that, but in her BED?" Loki asks. "What kind of Midgardian are you anyway? "   
  
"I am one of the men who fight for the fittest." Bryan calmly replies.  We see  a shrieker heading their way quickly. "Oh shit, look there is a SHRIERKER!" Bryan shot the gun at the pistol aimed creature.  Loki looks at him with a disgusted face. "She sold her best bed shortly after we broke up. She didn't want me to set foot into her house next time. Well, there's a funny thing; we're still friends,"   
  
"Friends who do not get along." Loki said.  "I am glad you two are not together."   
  
"Funny thing, I forgot why we clicked." Bryan shot the the gun.   
  
A shrieker fell to the side losing half of its self in mere minutes. The shriekers all aimed at their direction. Loki sets his gun on high mode making it seem to be high tech, small handy, dandy item that can stick in his pockets without being seen by a police guards wary eye.

"We've been spotted." Loki said.

"Quite obvious, shit-head." Bryan said.

"I don't have cow poop over my head."  Loki argues.

"Okay, shit head." Bryan replied. "Run!"   
  
 Bryan fled before Loki could contemplate what Bryan is actually trying to to say. The shriekers made their unbareable screech.    
  
"Oh, that's why." Loki said, recall ling why he is here in the first place.  "WAIT for me, se....No...bed-ruiner!"   
  
Loki ran after Bryan as they were being chased by small beetle like creatures that had beaks similar to birds except they were walking on skinny legs that had three claws. One could have been mistaking them for overgrown deadly beetles that ad used their infernal eye-flops to detect heat. That's how they found most of their targets not by sound or movement  but through their own body heat.

"Nice to see you listening, shit-head!" Bryan shouts, heading to a big building that once housed a  ostrich farmer.

"What is it with you calling me Shit-head?" Loki asks, well actually more like yelled after him.    
  
"Oh, your hair."  Bryan shouts back.  
  
"I told you once." Loki said with a groan. He didn't seem effected by the running.  "My hair isn't full of eyes and cow poop."

Bryan is seen laughing as his face is turning red.   
  
"I wasn't talking about that."  Bryan replied.  
  
"Hank did." Loki shouts back. It sounded like he was talking but in a louder voice while running away from beetle shaped animals that are capable of eating a living human into pieces."He threw  a rock at me to see if I could get eyes at the back of my head."   
  
"That is _so_ Hank." They had ran into the building that had a set of stairs leading from the group up into the  into the building. "I am not going to die!" Bryan cries out getting out several guns from the room across on the wall that had several hooks and shelves properly positioning the guns. "Not today."  
  
"It is not the end of the world." Loki said, with a wave of his right hand. 

"It can happen at given time." Bryan said.

"Your world should have ended decades ago." Loki said, getting a worried facial reaction from Bryan.

Bryan shook his head, quite literately shaking off the shock.

"You're pulling my leg." Is all Bryan can reply with.  
  
 He watches Bryan go back and forth setting up strings around the triggers and mastermind a machine that connected mechanical strings to push when the trigger to this masterminding plan was initialized.How this plan would be initialized was beyond Loki's comprehension. _Midgardians go over their head, Loki thought watching Bryan get some TNT explosives._ There were transparent strings that did not appear if not for the glass windows giving reflections off them.  
  
"It is supposed to end in the Apocalypse, the zombie one."  Bryan said, wiping the edge of his brow.  
  
"No." Loki said.  "It is supposed to end when your sun goes out."   
  
"Says the man who's got a air of shit." Bryan mockingly said, he had finished the quick plan right there and then. Bryan was so ready to do  everything he can just to make sure these ass shriekers didn't kill him.  
  
"Yo-you're just an average man, shit-head." Bryan said.  "You're not a superman. That is for. . . you know, Holllywood. Sometimes ...oH Never Mind." He made this chilling kind of sigh. "Know how to make a bomb?"   
  
"My name is Loki." Loki said. "My hair is jet black." Loki seems more focused on pointing out the correct facts than telling someone he knows how to make a bomb made on Midgard. "I am not interested in the slightest to make a bomb."  
  
"Raven black shit."  Bryan said.   
  
"What's with you and black?" Loki asks, offended with Bryan calling his hair 'shit'.

Bryan put one hand on the side of his square face.   
  
"I happen to have a parent who was arrested by a African American,get this, he arrested the wrong man. My dad was in jail for a good ten years and I am not losing that grudge anytime soon. Because having that has pretty much kept my  shiny ass alive."

"You're discriminating on someone of your own kind."

"We're not the same." 

"Yes, you are."

"Oh really?"

"There is no difference between caucasins and African Americans. They're all the same to me. Except my brother calls your 'african americans' as a horrible name." We can actually tell that Loki did not agree with Thor's naming.  "Niggers....doesn't sound right coming from a caucasin man. It sounds better coming from a African American."

Bryan stares at Loki oddly for awhile.

"You're a strange man, Loki."  Bryan said.

Loki seemed to be making this 'As all Midgardians are, quite  frankly' facial reaction.

"And how did your predjudice towards these other people save your butt?"

"One of those ass shriekers were brought to the US by this African American dude who claimed they can be tamed." Bryan said, going into the backroom. We cann see hear his voice trailing from the backroom that had a couple lights on. "You wanna die, shit-head?"   
  
"I am a god."  Loki said.   
  
"You know, gods made us in their image." Bryan said. as he came out of the room holding And you don't see us running around or flying around in the air creating magnificent weapons."   
  
"That is in your fictional movies." Loki is quick to point out.   
  
"Right." Bryan said in a way that way easily indicated he pretended to agree. "Would you prefer to die horribly by some beetles?"   
  
Loki looks down to the gun(or more so the graboid gun) in his arms.

"I would prefer to go with the men who know what they are doing." Loki said.    
  
"So you came into _my_ group for answers?" Bryan asks, angered and shocked.   
  
"Well, your group is only made of one man." Loki said.    
  
"So not." Bryan argues, pointing at thin air. "There is James Malfoy, Freddy, ---"   
  
"Spare me with your creative imagination friends." Loki said.  "They cannot save you. But you can save yourself the pain of them eating you alive."   
  
"I won't die." Bryan said.    
  
Loki takes out a watch that is old styled and golden.He was so startled by this mans determination not to die in the middle of extinguishing the very race of a deadly creature.   
  
"You claimed you're not going to die."  Loki said, looking up from the golden chain.  
  
"Yes." Bryan said with a nod.

A devious  facial expression replaced Loki's calm stoic face.  
  
"Then can you fix in this?" Loki began.  "In the time it takes to survive a blast from shriekers exploding because of your bombs set up right over there."  
  
Loki points to the table with the many guns and TNT stacked together.    
  
"I accept that challenge." Bryan accepts.  
  
Loki crushes the pocket watch.   
  
"Who's the shit-head now?" Loki asks, as though he had made a impossible task.    
  
Bryan looks are 'what the helll' in simple English.    
  
We zoom out the building to see Loki goes out the other end, and Bryan didn't come out.It seems to be that hanging around Loki could pretty much end up with death,being pranked, and tricked on whenever he had magic. This time he didn't have magic to perform on anyone.

___                                        ___

Our scene screeches to a halt later on which honestly it is pretty much thirty-five minutes later.Loki had fallen unconscious under conditions and factors that cannot be explained. Well, for starters a rock pretty much hit his head and boy it was big. A big rock that wasn't thrown by Hank at all.   
  
"Hey Shit-head!" We hear Bryan from the distance waving the golden pocket watch in the air.  "I fixed the mother---SHRIEKERS!"  
  
Shriekers were edging near to the unconscious body,sniffling at him and nudging at his boots.It seems too odd to be true that this is happening to only Loki.   
  
 Bryan came to a halt holding a couple rifles in his knapsack.He carefully takes one of them out that seems to be customized.He puts the golden pocket watch into his jean pocket. _If Joy was here, she wouldn't be be so brave to kill these big ass beetles, no exceptions_ ;Is what Bryan thought about this. He crept back a few feet and focused his aiming on the four shriekers. _He will thank me later_ ,Bryan thought.    
  
"One," Bryan said in a low voice pressing on the trigger. "Two," He clicked it sending the first bullet flying into the middle shrieker. "Three." The shrieker fell to its side. "our." He shot at the third shrieker. "Five."   
  
The shriekers turned towards  Bryans's direction.   
  
"Shit-head powers me a new game boy advance." Bryan thought out loud.  "Hey!l" He jumps out waving his arms in mid air while singing in a deep pitched singing tone. "Look at me. I'm a  target!" The shriekers simply stared at him and tilted their ugly prehistoric heads. "What? I am a shitty target? Why didn't you say so?"  
  
He threw a couple grenades into the distance which sent the shriekers right after it. One shrieker stayed there towering over Loki's foot.    
  
"Brave guy, eh?" Bryan asks, personalizing the lethal creature.

He steps forward pressing one of the buttons on the rifle. The riifle retracts and unfolds  into a sword-gun smilar to the one used in the eary days of the american revolution.The shrieker rattled its butt back and forth sticking open its beak-mouth showing the unsually long pink ugly tentacle tongue.The tip of the sword-gun met the rugged dry dirt.  
  
"You are a ugly chicken." Bryan said, wary that it may attack him. The other shriekers in the distnace exploded thans to the gernades. "Sit boy, sit."  
  
The shrieker strangely sat down on Loki's leg.   
  
 "No." Bryan said lowering his head and pinching his forehead. "I mean by _not_ on his foot."   
  
The shrieker got off Loki's leg,then took three steps away from Loki's leg, and sat on the light brown dirt. The shrieker thumbed its tail-butt on the ground making the dirt get unsettled. Someone should probably be recording this for future references on odd shrieker behavior that is not common to find among the Graboid species.

"You're not a dog,damn it." Bryan said.  "You're a precambrian creature who should be extinct and be attempting to kill me right now."

The shreiker tilted it's head at him. 

"Damn it!" Bryan said, going through his hair using his right hand. "Don't go cutey on me."

The shrieker rolls over on its back and began reacting like a dog. 

"Not....funny." Bryan said. "You're a dangerous mutt--Aw man."

The  shreiker wagged it's butt-like tail while sticking out its tongue from the corner of itsbeak.

"I am petting you.....just once." Bryan said, holding up his index finger.

The shrieker waddled its tail back and forth excitedly. Bryan lowers his index figer and his hand.Bryan came over  then he rubbed the shrieker's bellly. The shrieker began purring like a cat. Bryan's face became horrified by the characteristics more strikingly similar to a domesticated animal than a lethal wild animal.We see the shrieker has  its tongue sticking out the corner of its mouth.

When Loki awoke he heard a shrieker dying. The sound was so distinctive it couldn't e compared to a animal dying. He remembered something had groaned loudly and then he went back into darkness. He called walking away from a dead crowd of shriekers and then something cackling hit the back of his head. It wasn't small enough to be a brick or a rock. He saw a dead bod of  a shreiker laying in from of  Byran's feet. Bran was looking away easy looking distrait at what he had done. 

Bryan slowly looks over to Loki's direction.It  seemed so weird to see him that way from killing a Shreiker. Had Loki fallen through a rabbit hole and landed in a far different realm? Oh apparently he had hadn't as he lost consciousness, again.

"What do you figure Bryan's doing now?" Izzy ask, as they--Connner,Izzy, ad Hank-- were easily having a jollly time watching shriekers explode after galloping up toy jeeps that had bombs hooked in and had to be shot at in order to activate it. 

"I believe Loki's being called Bat head by now." Conner said, with a laugh.

"Five bucks it's actually shit-head." Izzy bets.

"You're on." Conner said. "I bet twenty."

"I bet Loki already knocked himself out in some way." Hank adds. " A brilliant man like Loki can somehow get their heads get some of those 'Amnesia' pounds to the head.."

Izzy lowers her black sunglasses clicking the trigger at a Shrieker that recently ate a bomb.The creature exploded sending guts all over the place. Hank drank a bottle of champagne through a glass. It easily had a smalll sized umbrella being the color of purple with a red tip at the at the top shaped rounded.

"I can't imagine this man being knocked out." Conner  admits.

"With all the mischief things he's done, I can't picture it not happening." Hank said. 

"You're slick,Hank." Connner said.

Hank smiles, while Izzy clicked a button on a square device.Another shrieker is exploded into piece sending its orange ugly guts all over the grassy plan that is decorated in shreiker guts. It seemed surprising the Shrieker group was standing around. 

"I am not slick, I am in my prime." Hank said."I am never been more healthier than before."

"If Loki was here, he would call you a liar." Izzy said, blowing up another Shrieker.

Ba-booom went the Shreiker in the distance,far in the distance from the actual huge crowd of Shreikers. The explosion came out as a big puff of light gray smoke that didn't show anything yet it can be assumed that area has shrieker guts. 

"Naaaah."  Hank and Connner said at once, leaning back in their sun porch chairs.

Hank drew a drink from the glass.

"I can't believe we're still alive without a man or a woman being killed." Izzy said, in a cheery tone.   
The two men share a glance.

"You shouldn't have sai----" They began to say.

A explosive went off sending the group flying back on to the high rocky surface.Hank used his hands to catch himself on the sliding high velocity speed away from the grassy plain.We can see probably in the distance the  Australians are having a jolly time killing off Graboid hatchlings using guns going off loudly.Hank grabs Conner's hand before he goes away from him down into the ravine that has sharp big boulders sticking up ready to be the landing place of deceased creatures or creatures to bask their body in the sun. 

"WOAh!" Izzy caught herself on the surface using  a hole in the almost hard rough surface belonging to the rock.

"I told you so." Hank said, bluntly. 

"Well, more like we told you so." Conner corrects Hank.

"I get it!" Izzy yells up,dangling her legs.

By a big miracle Hank was still holding a glass of champagne.We can see the bottle of champagne is untouched. 

"Izzy." Conner said.  "I thought you were a lemur."

"I am not a monkey, goosebumps." Izzy name calls Conner.

"You said you were related to Zombooomafo."

"All of which lies."  Izzy said.

"Honest Vulcans cannot lie." Connnner said.

"Vulcans can lie." Izzy said."And so can Klingons."

"Klingon's are natural liarss when telling their entire planet background. They won't make it to their their building block of what their culture is." Hank goes on following what Izzy had began; He climbs up remarkably still holding on a good-hard grip on Conner's hand.

Connner is visibly impressed by the unusual strength that Hank is displaying. 

"I like how you've been visiting the gym without everyone noticing." Conner remarks. "And that you've been hiding it which is beyond my comprehension."

"I don't hide it." Hank said,and then he is seen taking a sip from his glass that still has some champagne.

"Denial." Izzy said,using her free hand to rub her forehead.

"It is not a activity I like to hide." Hank said, lowering the drink from his lips.

"Hurry up!" Izzy orders Hank.

"Seriously man, hurry up before I puke." Conner said.

Hank climbed up the rocky surface lifting up his friend in the process.Izzy climbs up after Hank holding her gun in between her teeth which probably be best to described in her mouth when you can easily imagine a woman biting on the handle to a knife climbing up  rope-net to something direly important. Suddenly the herd of shriekers fled the grassy and somewhat dirt ugly covered scenery leaving a trail of dust behind.Han skeptically raises an eyebrow not at all adjusted to see Shreikers running from potential eating targets wen they could jump up and gobble them. He had been wondering why they had been standing around eating lizards and not reproducing as much after eating so many vermin's.

"Why are they running?" Conner asks, as he lands on the floor aka the hard smooth stone surface.

"Don't tell me they're already molting to those 'ass blasters' right now." Izzy said, with an roll of her eye _. I should have taken Bruce's advice,_ Izzy thought, _I should have let some other Shield member take this mission._

Yes, of course, being related to the one and only Bruce Banner can tie other relatives into Shield.  Especially with her unique set of skills to calm down angered people. And some other skills that remain to be to be put on the 'to-you-don't-need-to-know' shroud of secrecy.

"I don't....think so." Hank said, right after Izzy came up WITH  a rifle sticking out from her pocket.

This rifle is small enough to be classified as a miniature pistol ind of thing instead of an actual weapon.They saw these huge mounds move up from the floor and surface across the area.The mounds were huge  in size and shape that belong to Graboids.Hank,Conner, and Izzy get out their guns and set them in 'shooting' mode that doesn't run out of bullets until power in that specific mode runs out.Then they have to switch it into 'big-graboid shooter' mode.

"I have not shot down a huge Graboid...in years."  Hank admits.

"I haven't shot a huge ass creature in months." Izzy admits, as well.

Hank and Conner share a odd look towards Izzy.

"Part of saving the world every week." Izzy said.

The Graboids shot out from the ground, and then gunfire was exchanged.There were a huge couple of them that seem to have been genetically advanced by a scientific serum device that somehow had been left out in the open at a resting Graboid nest.We can pretty much assume that five minutes came to pass.

Izzy turns to the right hearing a pained yell from Conner. She was the first one to see what had happened. Conner falls down to his side on the big rock. The gigantic graboids retreated into the dirt  possibly far away from the tragic event; which is odd for Graboids.Izzy saw someone standing in front of Conner's body who hadn't been part of the group mission dissapear in thin air.

"Conner!" Izzy said, shooting the graboid that hadn't left.

The graboid is blown up into pieces. Izzy and Hank ran to Conners side then she puts down the gun right beside her. Conner takes his hand off the bloody wound that wasn't made by the type of gun that was being used to kill graboids. She puts down the brown knapsack that had a disguised  'SHIELD' badge keeping the top buttoned on to the lower half. Izzy unbuttons the knapsack and flipped the top behind the opening. Izzy takes out some towels--being a member of SHIELD, she was always prepared for unexpected diving into the water to escape---from her knapsack.

"I-I-I've been shot." Conner manages to speak and then puts his hand back. "I am gonna die."

"No duh, goosebumps."  Hank said, wary for any of the Graboids to come up. "Don't panic;you're gonna get out of this alive."

"You're bleeding, apply this." Izzy said, handing Conner a small towel.

Conner is in ugly pain. It wasn't comparable to being stabbed. Conner gives the towel back to Izzy.

"There...is a difference between dying and being stabbed." Conner said, giving it back to Izzy.

"Don't say that!" Hank told Conner.

"You can be saved." Izzy said, handing The Towel back to Conner.

Conner grabs Hank's arm.

"I have to...tell you something." Conner said.

Conner whispers into Hank's ear that it wasn't easily heard by Izzy.We see Hank's eyes widen.Hank lets out a gasp.Hank pulls himself away from Conner.Hank's right hand almost slipped on the rock barely getting a scrape on it. Hank scoots away from Conner while visibly trembling and hurt in his eyes.

"Apply the towel, damn it." Izzy said, handing it back to Conner. "I am a professional!"

It was apparent that he didn't want to do it. So Izzy applies the Towel to the part of Conner's  shirt that is bleeding and has a hole in it where the deadly object was fired at.  Izzy takes a phone out of her pocket.Hank had stopped helping Conner oddly after being told in the ear something Izzy did not hear. Izzy dials a number while applying the towel to Conner's injury.


	24. Distraughtness

Loki awoke in the belly of Mannnie. Or is it called the Belly of the plane? May the world remain confused how to refer such place. There was a bed with a white sheet over it. At first Loki thought it was a dinner table But when he saw there were some people, those who were among the working party, had their heads lowered. Even the Australians won't making a peep. _This is odd,_ Loki thought as he could see Bryan, _How in Muspelhiem did he survive?_  
  
Loki could tell Hank was so ...Not so happy.   
  
"My fault." Is all Loki could hear Hank say while he rubs his face looking sweaty. Hank obviously was blaming himself for not paying attention to Conner when shooting whatever creatures of Graboids were attacking.   
  
"What happened?" Loki asks, where it became evident he was propped up against the wall.  "Did I lose my bet?"   
  
"Of course you did." Hank said in a low voice. His eye fixated on the floor. 

We see Bryan over  at the end showing some co-workers a few photo's through his flat screen device that came straight from Stark Industries.He seemed so smug and proud about capturing the images. Loki is irritated a mere Midgardian had survived a explosion instead of dying.

"You ...know something, what happened?" Loki notices Conner is no where in sight. There is an empty seat.A seat that Conner should  be in. "Where's Conner?"   
  
Hank was the most talk-a-tive person who Loki ever knew. He hadn't known Hank could become this silent, usually he could be be the most interrupting person in the lifetime of a conversation. He had his hands together in a knuckle brace under his chin and his eyes were fixated on the table that had the shape of a body being covered by  a white sheet. There was an obvious sign of guilt in his eyes. As there were in Izzy's.  

"Where is Conner?" Loki demands for an answer. "You're silence is not an answer."  
  
"He's...right in front of you." Hank said, without the very least of name calling Loki 'Mischief man' at all strangely enough. 

It seemed a logical reply enough when Loki looked forward to see the short body. Conner had died in his work proudly killing some Graboids with his two co-workers. Specifically Hank and Izzy who had guilty looks evident on their faces. Suddenly Mannie shook from side to side violently o hard the lights were blinking on and off.The intercom went on and another voice that Loki was familiar to had came over the radio-comn static.    
  
"We've been caught by....a...strange mist, okay,we've been grabbed by a Mesosaurus." The pilot said,causally without much stress in his voice.. "It's a Prehistoric version of a ...Alligator and a huge whale put together. Correction: it is the Mosasaurus."

There is static in the intercomn as though it was muffled by a  net or something.

"I've been corrected by my co-pilot." The pilot said. "It used to live in the late cretaceous period. It is 17 meters long,approximately 56 feet,and it is a carnivore."   
  
The co-workers shared worried whispers.    
  
"I don't think this Mesosaurus is going to eat us." Izzy said, classifying the Mosasuarus as  a Mosesaurus. "Just thinks we are a huge fish."   
  
Loki was a'laughing at this.However much that they amused him their way of finding the bright-side in gigantic animal creatures seemed way too hard to believe. Loki wished this were part of a real live movie instead of actually happening just so it could get horrible reviews for the crappy CGI and bombed at the box office.

The comn message came to an end, obviously.

It was apparently one of the humorous parts of being on Midgard. That and he didn't seem to understand some of their words and culture.Loki hadn't bothered to explore Midgard's culture for a really long time, but now, he's getting the hang of it. The door to Mannie was opened wide for the entire crew to have a good view.Loki stopped laughing once seeing the potentially really ugly dinosaur that managed to survive the extinction of its surrounded prey and relatives.   
  
Loki gasps at the sight.

Hank didn't seem to be bothered by it. Izzy was more than stunned to see the size of it.What can we about witnessing a huge gigantic dinosaur biting into the sides of a military craft that should be durable. Bryan gets up from  the row of seats similar to a bench. He was holding a recently caught fish; randomly.He came over to the mouth of Mannnie looking pretty disgusted at the Mesosaurus. Correction: _Mosasaurus_ not Mesosaurus.They are two who share a name that can get mixed up for some odd  reason.

Hank spits at the Mosasaurus.

"You disgusting critter, eat this fish!" Bryan threw out the fish.   
  
The Mosasaurus let go and swallowed whole the fish that had fallen out.The prehistoric whale-crocodile disappears bellow the water surface only leaving the top of it's head similar to a island mound in the distance for anyone stranded on a boat. Bryan turns away from the mouth looking mad he had let go a priceless fish from a new island.

"I shoulda fished for more." Bryan said, walking right past the dead body. "I shoulda' done it."

Loki was wondering, _had Bryan met David?_

"How did David and Bryan get along?" Loki finally asks.

"David got beat up." Hank said in a low voice. "David insulted Bryan. Bryan would never admit he insulted David first."

"He insulted me first!" Bryan insists.

"See?" Hank said, tilting his head away off on his tight knuckles. "He will never admit it. My David is a terrible fighter."  
  
Our scene somehow transitions to some valley in Milwaukee that hasn't been turned into a city street.It can be a wonder how this is even plausible.There is an old set of swings swinging lightly up and down in a pair.A streak of blinding yellowish-white blinded the scenery briefer than a debriefing.In the place stood...someone not familiar to this realms fashion.No other than Sif of Asgard. She had arrived to Midgard under concern that Thor may be thwarting his brother's banishment to Midgard more than a 'tiny' bit.Being queen of Asgard wasn't in her blood or in her line of duties as a warrior.    
  
It seemed weird at first seeing Thor act strangely. 

But it wasn't full suspicious until Frigga encouraged Sif to go and check up on how it was going for Loki.

The former queen would never encourage her own warriors to do something unless; worry.  
  
The house across was small and similar to a shack except it didn't have a big chimney, it did have a garage, a backyard that had a fence surrounding it, and a rocking chair at the porch aligned by wooden square logs.There were dogs  in the front yard barking at Sif's direction as some of them were hopping up and down because they were so excited to see another human being. She had come alone without her friends Volstagg,Fandral, and Hogun.She didn't need back up to do some observing without making a dent in Loki's journey.Sif came to the porch because she had made the dogs sit still with eyes on her.    
  
Sif gently knocks on the door three times.   
  
A old man came to the door grumbling and mumbling in a low voice. His eyes light up seeing Sif standing there basking in the darkness of the storm taking shape in the background. His dogs were not making a peep. This old man is is Mr.Lexington.   
  
He opens the first door and looks at her curiously.

"What you here for?" Mr Lexington asks.  

"I need some  garment of your realm." Sif said. "I have a friend who I have come to sure is not being t...interrupted in their journey without them knowing."

"So you are here to spy?" Mr.Lexington asks, with a shake of his head. He laughs at what he is about to say next to Sif."Woman, The cold war ended years ago, and you may be hot. But not that hot." 

He starts to close the door when the dogs started barking at the door. Mr Lexington looks down to see their noses pointed right at the screen door.

"I am a Asgardian and a wielded warrior." Sif said."I am the queen of Asgard." Her voice sounded none too pleased. "My rank is not a celebration. And if you would do me a favor then I can see what my king can do for you."   
  
"...Who?" Mr Lexington asks, craning forward his neck.  
  
"Thor." Sif said.   
  
Mr Lexington stood there almost speechless.   
  
"Broad shoulders, long blonde hair, big hammer, serious and stern face?" Mr.Lexington asks.  "And a carefree interest?"   
  
"Yes," Sif said, with a small smile.

"I met him twenty-three years ago...." Mr Lexington taps on his chin and narrows his eyes at Sif. He seemed to be recalling people he had seen ages ago. "No wait, that is thirty-two. You remind me of the women he was coming back for ...."

Mr Lexington's eyes flashed in recognition. Mr Lexington steps back almost swinging his arms back.

"You're her!" Mr Lexington cries out. "The strange woman who appeared in my band!"

"I am Sif of Asgard." Sif said. "I do not recall a old man thirty-two years ago in a band."   
Mr Lexington grabs at his chest, crinkling his sweatshirt.

"Take any clothes you want!" Mr Lexington staggers back. "But only from my wives daughter's room...."Mr Lexington was taking deep breaths obviously not well. "She hasn't moved out all the way, ye..yet." He was breathing heavily and grasping at a table. The dogs were sitting on the porch whining worriedly at their owner's condition. His hands were trembling and shaking. "You can come in."

___                                                       ____

_...Three days later..._

David walks into the house that was strangely dark. He looks around while closing the door behind.A light switch went off to the left hand side.The lights did not come on. _Hank must be pulling a surprise party,_ David assumes the best _._ David walks down the hallway and then he came to the living room---both wooden doors were wide open to the side--where he could see Hank sitting in a chair beside a counter that had a lamp on. David feels relaxed for a brief second but that changed to  a confused manner. Hank was tapping on the brown wooden arm to the chair with a collection of papers on his lap.

This is not a surprise party for sure.

"Honey, why do you have the lights off?" David asks.

Hank points down to the right hand side of the chair.There were a couple suitcases in varying sizes organized from small to big. We see a big Piano with legs behind the wooden chair Beside the wooden chair that Hank sat on is a trash-can full of Kleenex. We can tell the papers are stapled at the left hand edge.

"What is this for?"  David asks,puzzled. "Are we going on a impromptu vacation?"

Hank picks up the collection of papers and gets up from the chair.

"No." Hank said, walking towards David.

Hank handed the papers to David--once he was close enough--in a way that wasn't gentle. David shifts to the left away from Hank while flipping through the paper. Hank goes back into the living room and brings the suitcases one by one against the comfy couch behind David. When David had read through the paper Hank had all of David's the luggage leaning against the couch.

"You're divorcing me?" David said, choking up on the last word.

"We're already divorced." Hank said,stating the reply as a fact.

There is two living rooms in this house, one kitchen, three bathrooms, three closets, one basement, one attic, one backyard,and a couple other rooms.The second living room is the 'Televison block' because it is the only room in the house that has  a huge-wide television set. We should get back to where we left Hank and David.

"I don't understand." David said, turning towards the right at Hank's direction. David looks up from the paper. 

"I know what you did _two_ days ago." Hank said.

"This is absurd!" David said, dropping the papers on the table. "How can doing something two days ago be big enough you decide to divorce me?  Honey,I do not understand what has gotten into you lately."

Hank backs away from David.

"Don't call me 'honey', murder." Hank warns David taking more steps away.  "Leave this house before I decided against not telling Loki that someone from his 'planet' committed murder."

"I am not an alien." David said.

"Of course  not." Hank said. "You're a god, David. You are from Asgard."

There was a strange look in David's eyes.

"Honey--"

Hank  grabs a  photograph frame and then threw at David. David catches it.

"If you were a human, you wouldn't have caught it." Hank said. "The David I knew had no experience in karate, fighting, and boxing." David drops the photograph frame to the floor, carelessly. "Nor was he in any type of defense practice."

"You've lost it--" David tried to protest.

Hank held up his index finger.

"I am not done." Hank said.  "I tried it with Loki. He caught the rock without paying attention."

"But Hank--" David starts to say but Hank interrupts him.

"You're not welcome in my house." Hank interrupts David, coldly. "I completed the paperwork while you were hitching rides back to America.You were not at work; I called your boss, your friends,and the other guys. You were not  in Wisconsin."

"I was at Utah helping a friend out." David said.

"I don't believe you." Hank said.

"Honey,you were not there." David said.

"I called your friends from other states. Everyone of them." Hank said.  "Guess what they all said? They hadn't seen you in days.From this day froward we're not partners." There was a certain tone of anger in Hank's voice.  "Not after what you've done."

"I've done nothing." David denied. "All I am guilty of is helping a friend."

Hank looks hurt from David's reply. His trembling fingers curled up against the palm.Hank's knuckles are slowly turning red. Never had he felt this hurt before from someone lying to his face.People had lied to him before but this was different. His stomach feels as though it was twisting up into knots. Hank can feel a tight pain from his chest. 

"Are you telling me.." Hank said as his voice is trembling and lowered. "That a dying man used his last breath on a lie?"

"When we think we are dying, we make absurd claims."  David  said.

"Conner used his last breath to tell me that my husband killed him." Hank said. It is obvious that witnessing David lie to him is hurtful.  "And don't tell me he lied. Conner was a good man, and a great person to hit up with controversial theories.Conner would never lie about someone hurting him. "

"It is natural to lie." David said.  "It is impossible not to lie through life."

"You took my best man away." Hank bluntly said.

David is puzzled at first.

"What?" David said, acting puzzled.  "Honey, he wasn't at our wedding."

Our scene goes outside the house.We hear a loud destructive commotion from inside the house and lights were going off and on.We can hear furniture somehow being shoved in some part of the obvious fight inside the house. For a good fifteen minutes there is all the classic hallmarks of a fight going on. David fell out the window then lands on the grass back first. Several suitcases  were thrown out the broken window and each somehow landed around David. After the last suitcase was thrown we see Hank poke his head out the lighted room.

"If I see your face again in this house I will tell Loki!" Hank yells, clutching at his left shoulder.We can tell that Hank had been in a bad fight easily by his face. 

Hank closes the window using a spare window set.


	25. Left behind

Carter was driving his sami-truck in in the night. He had his cell phone attached to the dashboard right above the driver's wheel.He had a red-gray shiny headset that was a Chat-Text product made to communicate that somehow turned the replies into texts on the phone through the voice.Words were appearing on the small gray cell phone block by block in black. We see a smile slide up on Carter's face.  _Lil' Sis is worrying over meeting her mom's parents,_ Carter thought. His eyes are adjusted to the nightly gaze on the dark gray road that had yellow dots disappear and re-appear.

 "Sis, you're over-worrying." Carter said.

Carter could see there is a lightning storm ahead.

"I am not the worry-some one here." Joy texts back.

"My job is not only a safety hazard." Carter said. "It is the road of worry."

Carter's fingers feel wet on the driving wheel.

"Laughed out loud." Joy texted back with  a smiley face. "How can I  tell them I used to be blind but now I can see future events in random images? Logical outcome; don't talk about it."

"You can tell them it is a unexpected gift." Carter said.

"They would be more wary to believe another word I say if I did that." Joy texts back.

"Leave out the blind part. You can say you were born with a Psychic ability." Carter said.

"And tell them that I was stolen from the area where their daughter died in a gunfight?" Joy texted back.

"Lil Sis', you're stressed out." Carter said. "Ease your worries! It'll be fine."

"Am not!" Joy texts back.

Carter laughs at the little orange emote next to Joy's text. It eased the worry nagging him at the back of his head.

"So what about  Floor 19, anything new?" Carter asks.

Five minutes passed without a reply.

"Tara's being more creepy than usual by bringing copies of Norse Mythology books,Loki is going out on 'business' dates with Shannon. Wink wink wink. These are not business dates." Carter laughs out loud reading the texts. "Conner left this world, Floor 19 has been freezing lately, and I still don't know why the floor is mostly empty on some days in July!"

Carter's attention shifts to the road when a furry glowing and blurry creature darted across the road,.

"...Not that David's crashing on the couch in the basement because Hank kicked him out is playing a tiny bit into my worry." Carter is startled by the mention of Hank kicking out David. "And divorced, apparently."

"How did that happen?" Carter asks, making a time mark with a question sign at the end of the text.

Carter puts on sunglasses that have a orange tint to their lens. These glasses made it seem that it is not night but really daylight. The ominous rumble in the distance made goosebumps roll down Carter's skin in a single fashioned line.There are different ways to feel fear in the middle of a unexpected storm that many people can agree on. However it is merely driving a Sami-Truck in a storm that makes this twice scary than driving a car in it.

"I don't know." Joy's text read. "I am letting David sleep in the Basement." _That's the Lil' sis I know,_ Carter thought reading the reply. "There is something that I cannot quite put my finger on about David."

Carter shook his head.

"Why are you all of a sudden suspicous about David?" Carter asks.

Carter is watching the lighting get closer and closer to his Sami-Truck. Each boom striking into the ground made his skin crawl. His attention drifts off the small phone screen right towards the road ahead that was being shined by the headlights. _Keep it together man,_ Carter mentally tells himself. The wheels made a brief swerve on the road when his hands slipped to the side on the wheel. _There you go again!_ Carter could have grit his teeth, but no, he didn't.

A string of text appears on the phone's small screen.

_"Before I let David in...I had a vision."_ Joy's text read. The thunder struck near enough that it made the Sami-Truck jolt off the ground _._ _"I saw an image of David dead inside a future-istic cell room on the floor."_ Carter feels his heart beat fast out of fear from the fearsome thunder that sounds close enough it is way too scary enough to be a figment of his imagination. A blinding yellow fast glint in the driver's side of the window.

Carter's right hand grabs hold of the wheel with a firm grasp and held his left hand up to shield his eyes.

"That isn't natural!" Carter acknowledges out loud taking a sharp  turn to the right.

And then a lightning bolt struck the Sami-Truck that made our scene fade into black.

__                                   __                                                                     _                        

_...Morning.._

_...July 23rd, Saturday..._

"Is this the right house?" Detective Harriet asks her partner Josh.

Detective Josh looks down to the flat screen device in his hand briefly and then turns his head up towards the house. The front lawn to the house is a perfect tint of green as though it had recently rained last night. _Looks better than my girlfriend's house,_ Detective Josh admire the perfectionism. It was too bad the owner of this house wasn't going to be given ideally good news

"1873 B Loki Street, Laufeyson street." Detective Josh said. " _This is_ the right house, Harriet."

The detective's impala is parked near the not-too-perfect gray sidewalk.

"Too bad his brother is deployed." Detective Harriet said, getting out of the impala.  "It always has to be the sisters who get told the news first."

Detective Harriet shut the car door. Josh unbuckles his seatbelt.

"Actually, it is not _always_ the sisters." Josh said, opening the impala's passenger side door. He steps out of the sleek blue car.  "There are times when the brothers get the news."

"So we're auguring about how often  Brothers and Sisters  get the bad news." Detective Harriet said as she walks towards the building.  "I am not up for this debate again, Josh."

Detective Josh shuts the passenger door.

"Lets debate about why this street is named Loki Street Laufeyson street." Detective Josh sarcastically said as he caught up with Detective Harriet.

The two detectives came to the front door. They bickered about who should press the doorbell first, and then, who should be the one to give the bad news. Detective Josh takes out a shiny brown 2011 marked penny from his pocket.They did a coin flip; Detective Josh called dibs on heads and Detective Harriet called on tails. Detective Harriet knocks on the door right after seeing the results.

Joy opened the door.

"Hello!" Joy said, greeting them with  a happy smile.

 Detective Josh could see Joy's eyes were icy like, her hands  seem unusually 'freezing' in some way, and her over-all physical health seemed fine as a healthy moose.Her hair bangs were unusually white  enough it stood out from the dark brown short hair. Joy leans her side to the door letting her left hand  grace down the flat edged side of the door.

"Good morning, Miss Lawson." Detective Josh said.

"Miss Joanna." Joy corrects him, earning raised eyebrows from the two detectives. "I recently changed my name; its Joy Joanna."

"May we come in?" Detective Harriet asks.

"Sure." Joy said, letting them in.

Our view backtracks and watch the door close. We  go  down the street to the drive way. We see a black and green Ferrari convertible with no other than Loki--he had moved down the street at the back  edged corner--wearing a bluetooth with a phone sticking halfway out of his coat pocket apparently talking with someone. Living on a street named after himself felt one step higher than Thor in the realm of Midgard.He even was wearing a pair of sunglasses. The car backs out of the icy drive-way.

"I told you, I am still deciding on it." Loki said.

"You've been deciding on it for two months,little prince." Shannon said, on her end of the line.

"Deciding a life century decision is more important than buying a red cavalry." Loki said.

"A life time decision, little prince. " Shannon corrects Loki. "Not a life century decision. You keep mixing up the two words like a vampire bent on drinking coolaid instead of some other blood substitute.And you're talking about a _red truck."_ Shannon made a irritated groan on her side of the phone. "Not an army!"

"Driving that means of transportation is a lot like leading an army on horseback." Loki said.

Loki is wearing  special pair of black gloves in the middle of summer. He had somehow got his hands on them just to prevent anything else getting frozen without intending to do it. Loki knew someone on Midgard from a long time ago capable of making gloves that restricted powers such as Ice, fire, and water that was beyond controlling.

"It feels like an army but it is not." Shannon said. "It is only the speed you're feeling."

"I've participated in a couple wars." Loki said. "And all of them felt much like this."

Cars turned over except for Loki who stopped right where the source of this unusual event was stirring this up. He lowers his glasses using his left hand. This was not something really ordinary to happen on _his_ street.The house he had stopped at was Joy's. The impala was upside down on its own roof perfectly balanced under a absurd law of gravity as if it were on a rock not on the road.

"This is strange." Loki said.

"What?" Shannon asks.

"There is flipped over cars and everything is a mess." Loki said. "And the source is from a co-worker--" Loki's car was swept to the left under unusual forces of 'magic' or something like that. "I don't see any invisible string around!"

Two detective stumbled out of the house looking white as a ghost. They were seen running down towards the impala with small eyes, frightened looks, and speeding legs. As strange as it seemed to Loki they both managed to get the car back on the road in the right position, then got in, and drove off from the house while buckling up. The wheels had left a forever skid on the road.

"What happened?" Shannon asks.

"I don't honestly know." Loki said. "I'll see you at the horse ranch, right?"

"For the last time, yes!" Shannon replied.

___                                          ___                                                 ___

_.  .  . Asgard. . ._

_. . . near a garden...Two Midgard hours later._

"Sif, what's been plaguing your mind?" Fandral asks.

"Nothing." Sif lied.

"Uh huh." Fandral said, not convinced while leaning against the marble wall turning a red apple in circles in his hands. "And I suppose King Thor is not aware you visited Midgard to check on his brother."

Sif turns her head sharply towards Fandral.

"Who told you?" Sif asks.

"I have my sources." Fandral said. "They prefer to remain anonymous."  He raises one of his blondish orange eyebrows up. "And you've been acting distant lately." Fandral held the ball up in one hand. "You only act this way when there is some conflict going on between Thor and Loki." He looks over towards the right, and then back to Sif. "When there isn't a conflict going on between them."

"Margret."  Sif said.

Fandral lowers his hand that held the apple and looks at Sif strangely. His eyebrow that had been raised has lowered down. It had been years since he heard this name 'Margret', and in fact, for too long.

"Who again?" Fandral asks.

"Margret." Sif repeats. "The Asgardian who survived the peeling."

Fandral shudders.

"Oh, her." Fandral said.  "Poor lady. What about Margret?"

Sif explains to Fandral what she had seen.The very story earned various eyebrow raises from time to time straight by Fandral. Fandral was brushing through his little beard when Sif had concluded her little story about Margret had been doing without being seen by Loki. Sif had managed to do the same under a vary unrecognizable disguise.

"I...can't believe she...resembles a lizerd." Fandral said.  "I can't picture it."

"i saw her for myself." Sif said.  "And I spoke to her about it. I cannot fathom that Thor had requested her and a Asgardian named Farrold to go mess in Loki's banishment. Just to make it seem interesting doesn't make sense to me; why else? There must be more to this story!"

"Of course there is." Fandral said. "Thor is a believer in  love at first sight."

"If Loki had fallen in love then he would be back in Asgard." Sif said.

"But he is not." Fandral said. "And this undoubtedly is King Thor having some  'fun' around his brother."

"Thor has been acting strangely lately." Sif admits. "I don't know if I am talking to the King of Asgard anymore. I...can't trust him."

Fandral tilts his head.

"He's...what?" Fandral asks.

"I can't trust him." Sif said.  "I don't know why but this feeling..." She looks down to her right hand that is in a fist.  "There something fishy going on, and Thor has a part in it."  Fandral looks standardly shocked  hearing this from Sif. "Thor's changed from the kind and understanding man I knew."

"Have you asked him what's wrong?" Fandral asks.

"Of course!" Sif said. "All I get from him is 'Nothing, my dear'."

"Maybe I should ask him." Fandral said. "Perhaps that will ease your worries about his activities."

Sif looks towards the garden pretty worrisome.

"What I am worried is that Thor  has turned into a rotten apple." Sif said.


	26. Not missing

"My king, you've been acting strangely lately." Fandral said.

"Have not." Thor denies. "All is fine in the realm."

"The queen is suspicious of you." Frandral said.  "There's nothing quite right about this picture. A queen should be able to speak with her king without the shred of a doubt." Fandral sounds worried about Thor as well. "I wasn't referring to Asgards well being. But to yours."

"What has Sif told you?" Thor asks.

"Only where I need to be concerned for a dear friend." Fandral said.

So Thor lied to Fandral why he's been acting strangely. Fandral seems suspicious about it at first but Thor's rather friendly and rest assuring attitude convinced him otherwise. The only explanation Fandral got from Thor was  a 'I've been worried about Sif's visits to Midgard." That entirely was understandable when the knowledge of other unrealmly beings often plagued Midgard under Midgardian's very noses.

___                                                      ___                                              ___

_...October...18th Tuesday....  
_

_...Midgard..._

 Joy was staring at what once had been Loki's cubicle. We see a book beside her right arm that had her name printed on it in red text. The title of the book is printed in blue letters that resemble ice that read 'The prince of ice' with the tag line 'He froze her heart' right below it. The cover is a picture of New York city at night with a blue glow in the background. In the darker area above the main title is a snow flake.

  It had been  three months since Loki had abruptly quit and left. Now there was a much younger man who didn't really connect two parts of a unknown conversation together when co-workers were whispering about gossip; or so they thought.This man is Branthony Dennis.Joy didn't really like Branthony as did many of the other co-workers. Joy solved Izzy faster than a cricket could call dibs on a  leaf competiting against a male of its kind. Izzy wasn't as much normal as she portrayed herself to be in this line of work in customer service. 

 "You're missing Loki." Hank said.

Joy's cold stiff neck feels terrible as she carefully turns her head up towards Hank.

"No." Joy lied.

"Don't deny it!" Hank said. "I know you've been _missing_ Loki" Hank picks up the book and waves it in mid air. "How can I not miss out the littlest detail that Takyionly is based on Loki?"  Hank puts down the book where he had picked it up. "He has snow white skin, vampirish black hair, and a stride that would match a confident young prince!"

Joy found it difficult to sigh.

"Takyionly is based on all of the men I met." Joy lies, again.

"Then why did the bullet not go through Takyionly in chapter 22 and end up very smashed?" Hank asks. "I've been dying to hear if he was wearing a bullet proof vest during a _bank robbery_." Joy forces a smile. "I don't know who Brenda is based on."

"Does it ever occur to you that she may be based on no one?" Joy asks.

"I refuse to think such negativity!" Hank said.

"That is not negativity." Joy said, with a little laugh.

"You based Takyionly on Loki." Hank said. "Giving up guessing is a road to negative. I know for a fact you based Brenda's childhood friend 'Andy' on  Conner because of Andy's love for Goosebumps novels!" Hank rationalizes in a lively gesture. "Who in the name of Chowder is Brenda based on?"

Joy smiles, putting her hands under her chin, yet the pain was not shown.

"Perhaps you'll never know." Joy said.

"I've checked the book at least fifteen times!" Hank said.  "I should know who Brenda is based on from this floor by now. However I don't have the faintest clue."

"Maybe you'll not  meant to find out." Joy teasingly said.

"Who is Frenda  based on?" Hank asks.

"Some  one from this floor." Joy said in a hinting type of voice.

"Is there going to be a sequel?" Hank asks, again.  "I want to know if Takyionly reveals to Brenda that she's not losing it--"

"Hank, Brenda died on the last page." Joy said.  "The Prince of Ice was _her_ story."

"You never implicated what happened to Takyionly." Hank said. "Nothing what-so-ever."

"Takyionly was a figment of her imagination." Joy reveals, seeing a stunned Hank. "That is why he didn't get hit."

"Wa--w-wait a minute." Hank said, shaking his hands in front of himself back and forth.  "Brenda's heart was said to have frozen!"

"No." Joy said.,  "It was crushed." She opens the book and turns to the last page. "'I'll read it to you. Seems like you're interpreting wrong."

Hank grabs a chair and rolled himself near to Joy's cubicle. 

"Go ahead!" Hank said. 

Joy pauses, looking at Hank with such a  'you're so gulliable' expression.

"This might be different from the one you read."  Joy warns Hank.

Joy read the ending to Hank.Hank was frozen in the 'that is not what I read' kind of reaction and his eyes change into a disbelief kind of glance.By the time Joy had put the book down Hank had his right elbow propped on the corner of her cubicle while cupping his head into his right hand. Apparently Hank is speechless to say a reply.

"The end." Joy said.

Hank rubs his fingers together.

"So...." Hank said, trying to find the words. "You based Isegard on Asgard."

"I never been to Asgard." Joy said.  "The kingdom, as in Isegard, itself is a mere merge of old and new." Joy holds her hands out in mid air with her palms facing upwards. "It is a merge between science fiction and modern."

"Basically it is a steampunk version of Asgard." Hank summarizes Isegard.

"Except not many talk formal." Joy said.

Hank makes a low laugh shaking his head and takes his elbow off the counter. 

"Lemme guess." Hank said, tapping on his chin lightly. "The guy who moved to Brazil for a role model job has repeatedly called you because he's read the book."

Joy slowly shook her head.

"I have _not_ gotten a call." Joy said.

Branthony wheels over to the front side of the cubicle. His  wheels are ridiculously bumpy and old because someone had used it to get over a floor of broken glass three months ago under unusual circumstances.

"Did I hear someone say Brazil?" Branthony asks.

Hank and Joy share a 'How can he have heard that under such noise?' kind of expression.

"We're not talking about you, Brazil-obsessed-dork." Joy said. "We're talking about someone else."

"Aw." Branthony whines a little as his shoulders sulked,

"And shouldn't you be at your _extremely bus_ y cubicle?" Hank asks.

"On the contrary, there's no calls coming in." Branthony said, shaking his right thumb both ways like it should be the index finger. Branthony did not have a index finger which made it more stranger that his right thumb is basically his first big toe surgically moved  to his  right hand. Of course  Branthony's left  hand didn't have any of those strange characteristics. "And I would like to ask the same to you."

"I finished my quota an hour ago." Hank said.

"I am getting slow calls." Joy said,tapping on the headset on the table beside the  lion king themed pen holder. "Very slow."

Branthony tilts his head.

"And I was told this floor was always busy." Branthony remarks, slowly shaking his head.

Hank looks over to see Branthony's terrible chair with wheels.There was still some shards of glass budged into the little dark wheels hooked to the chair's legs. The rugged floor had some painfully obvious markings that resulted only from glass sharply digging through it. _How does this thumb man do it?,_ Hank wonders, _How does he slide_ _in these glass compromised wheels?_

"So why did Loki leave?" Branthony asks.

Joy and Hank stare at Branthony pretty blank.

"I have really good hearing." Branthony said, tapping his fingers together. Branthony's  left index finger taps at thin air repeatedly. "I heard..um...I heard your conversation." Branthony sheepishly smiles rubbing the back of his neck using his left hand. "From a couple cubicles over."

"Give us some examples." Hank said, with his arms folded. "Start by the row across."

"Okay." Branthony said, turning the chair to the right.  "The first guy over there is talking to a rather old customer who's not wearing those ear hearing helpers so that's why he is yelling." The yelling guy seems to have a yell that is overshadowed by the other conversations. "The two girls behind his cubicle are dealing with very soothing and manly customers who'se voices make them whisper."

The two women seem peaceful in their cubicle looking as if they were zoning into the twilight zone.

"Down the row is some guys chatting with their girlfriends on one phone, and then through their headset they are helping a customer out re-installing a Mozilla Firefox browser that has a sure hell lotta complications." Branthony continues with a small smile and a shake of his head. "The other women down the row are helping with clueless customers who are trying to uninstall Internet Explorer and reboot their computers in some way to get rid of one hell of a nasty computer virus.The costumers are somewhere noisy, so I guess they are a computer based room in Las Vegas so that's why the chicks are speaking louder."

Branthony turns away from the analyzed row.

"Happy now?" Branthony asks.

Hank and Joy share a slow nod.

"Loki quit for a role model job." Hank said. "A very specific one down in Brazil; it goes by his terms."

"If he's down at Brazil, for a gee, role model job." Branthony said. "My sister would have texted me a picture in InstantPhotoMessanger."

"She has a good reason not to show you." Joy said.  "Loki's been in the playboy magazine."

Our scene transitions to a much later time; probably 5:42. The light gray October sky made the atmosphere in this cemetery scenery feel cold and somewhat not the kind a average mourner would visit. Joy is standing across from a gravestone holding a collection of  yellow violets in a vase that had some dirt inside for the plants. There is a name on the gravestone that read 'Ginger Cotton' with a inscription below read 'A beloved woman out of touch with technology'. Joy puts the vase down the near tombstone.

The death date read "September 1st, 2011".

"Ginger." Joy said. "It has been another day at Floor 19." Joy sadly sighs. "Another day I see some-one else in your cubicle. It makes me wonder why on the last night we chatted on the phone you refused to tell me why I heard crickets." There was silence from the tombstone. "I mean, you acted strangely when we saw David at the mall a few hours before that. And then, poof, the next day you were dead."

Joy leans to the left using a cane to keep her balance.Joy is wearing a pair of long pink gloves that disappear from view thanks to the long black coat's sleeves,a black hat, she is wearing brown furry ear muffs, and a long scarf decorated in unique colors. From the distance there is a sight of a man similar to Branthony leaning against the seat to a motorcycle.

"I never told you when you were alive that..." Joy looks down to the cane.The words she wanted to say to a unresponsive grave stone were reluctant to come out.Joy looks up pretty much away from the cane back to the gravestone  "I-i-i-i--I am slowly becoming frozen."

Joy waves her hand ever so slightly.

"I've been making through this difficulty for a few months now." Joy said. "It hasn't stopped me from reading, socializing--...Okay, fine, I have stopped my regular jogging." It is mentioned in a sad and disappointed tone. "To everyone, the room is warm. But to me; it is freezing. I would like it to end one of these days."

Joy  takes out a rolled up magazine that was sticking out from her coat pocket.

"I brought this here for you." Joy said, placing the magazine beside the vase.  "You always refused to buy a playboy magazine." She makes this amused and happy laugh, her shoulders slightly went up then down. "Now you can't refuse to look at it."

Joy turns away from the grave towards the direction the figure is.She squints to see the distant figure leaning against the motorcycle. She recognized the figure as Branthony. _Even at the mention of Brazil and a strict rule to Branthony about stalking; he does it anyway._ Joy sighs with a low head-shake.She walks away from the gravestone.

"Branthony, stop stalking me!" Joy shouts back.

"I am not stalking." Branthony shouts back. "I am doing a favor for Hank!" Why would Hank be concerned for Joy, anyway? That was a very good and mysterious question now laying in her mind among other things. "There's a difference between watching out for your safety at a safe distance and personally intruding into your house!"Joy could feel the sharp pain in her ankle walking forward.Branthony did have a good point with the intruding part. "I am only a concerned civilian."

Joy hated to be watched for her own safety.

"No, you're a concerned Brazilian dork." Joy retorts.

"I may be obsessed with the idea of visiting Brazil, but I am from Norway." Branthony said. "I am a Norwegian not a Brazilian."

Joy eventually came to the rounded road.

"And is following me everywhere part of that?" Joy asks.

"Not everywhere, Joy." Branthony said.  "There's a lot of exceptions; malls, restaurants, town halls,where-ever you go on vacation, your house, your friends houses, restroom--why would I stalk you in the ladies room, anyway?--, in the car, and--"

Joy laughs, shaking her hand.

"I get what you're saying." Joy said, and then she looks around. "Don't tell me you towed my jeep."

"Your jeep is where you parked it." Branthony said.

Joy raises an eyebrow.

"Tracker?" Joy asks.

"There is no way over the moon that I can get a GPS tracker." Branthony said. "I kind of have a good idea to know where you are." He wore black gloves that is missing a finger for an index finger. "I am not a secret spy agent, you know, that's way too Hollywood for me."

"...Then you know where my Jeep is." Joy said.

"Probably behind those rows of black vans." Branthony said, pointing down the parking lot.

Joy turns her head to the left right towards the direction that Branthony pointed at. There were a couple daunting rows of black vehicles making it seem harder to find the jeep among that shadowly mess. _For once, you're scared; of a parking lot!, Joy mentally notes._ Branthony lowers his hand right after Joy had looked. Joy turns her attention back to Branthony. 

"Is helping me find my jeep part of that 'watcher' deal?" Joy asks. The next words were something that she never had asked for in a long time. "I need some help."


	27. Prince of Ice - Joy's novel

_A/N This is from the ending part of the book 'Prince of Ice' that Joy reads to Hank._

Brenda didn't want to believe it. Nor could she come to terms that the strange and, perhaps, intelligent attractive man was nothing more of a fantasy.A fantasy that probably took a heavy toll on Brenda's life flirting at nothing but thin air.  It was as if her  heart had become so frozen that it was smashed so hard into pieces. Brenda had been taking pills to help her get some of her sanity back.After all,Brenda was insane. An insane woman who had imagined a godlike prince: Takyionly.

Takyionly had walked out of Branda's life right after giving her the cold hard truth.

He simply was not real.

_Perhaps he could be real,_ Brenda thought.

Just dying under a strange cause.Brenda didn't know why she felt death taking over sitting in the chair gazing at a empty box on a computer screen. A  lonely purely white box outlined in a perfect shade of gray that read zero. A sad zero leading into an endless pool of reality. She dialed 911 feeling something had to be done. It felt too sad to die  and no one ever knew until the horrible stench became unbearable. Brenda heard the voice of Takyionly close-by.

"Brenda." That was Takyionly's voice.

Takyionly's voice sounded near and so real.  _C-c-creaak w_ ent the sound of boots in the hallway.  Could it really Takyionly? He had left Brenda so suddenly and very hurt. Why would he return to New York after _three_ long torment wrenching months? Tankyionly wrecked her life into pieces after all in only one breath.Time had gone slower moments after he had broken the truth.

Takyionly left Brenda in a lifetime of a wreck  with the words _"I am not real!"_ that smashed her frozen heart.

"What are you doing?" Takyionly harshly asks, coming to Brenda's side.

"Dying." Brenda said, using what strength she had left.

Takyionly frown not very convinced by the reply.

"You're not dying." Takyionly said.

"Hello...My name is Brenda Hemming Blair." Brenda said, in a low voice. She lowers the phone from her ear. "You're a fool to come around after all this time!" Her voice wasn't  weak at that high pitched yell that was furious. "You're a figment of my imagination, I know that now." The strain in her dying voice is evident. "I...I...I accepted the truth long ago."

Takyionly looks hurt.

"I didn't mean it." Takyionly said.

"Oh?" Brenda said. "How about that security camera? I saw it. You weren't there." Her bronzing weak and somewhat not very effective glare lands on Takyionly. "You were right; _I made you up._ "

"I blend into my surroundings easily." Takyionly said.

"Liar."  Brenda said.

"If I am so 'imaginary', then who opened the door?" Takyionly asks, turning the laptop off.

She must have been losing her mind again.Why the hell would she care about a door that had bolts and a tight lock? Brenda always kept the door locked; it simply didn't make sense why Takyionly threw that untrue fact out. The computer probably went into hibernation. All the Psychologists heavily  agreed that this all happened because of her being so damn lonely out of her mind and that Brenda was depressed. The 911 operator on the phone was asking what was the emergency.

"I am dying." Brenda said. "You can track my IP with my phone call."

"Yes mam." The phone operator said.

Brenda turns her attention back to Takyionly.

"So?" Takyionly asks.  "Why did you bring me here?"

"Sometimes the mind is the strongest part of the brain." Brenda said. "I..."The phone slipped out of her hand then land on the floor. "I...I...I am just going over what shattered my life into pieces."

Takyionly flashed one of his trademark smiles at Brenda.All that dying went over her head and went into the deepest corners of her mind.She can feel the weakness in her body, the numbness of death slowly overtaking her fingertips, her heart was gradually beating slower and slower,and the room seemed brighter with Takyionly standing there.

"I haven't told you why I came..." Takyionly pulls open the curtains letting in a pool of light enter the room. He turns away from the bright window hearing a couple pigeons rest on the ledge to the backside of the window. The blurry blue and gray birds were slowly become clear but dim to a dying Brenda. What he said next sounded more of a  whisper.  "All those months ago."

Takyionly clears his throat.

"Eight months ago." Takyionly said, tugging forward another part of the curtain. "Your clock is off. We met eight months ago not three."

"And ruined my life."  Branda said. "Now, why did you come in to ruin my sanity?"

"Right." Takyionly said, snapping his porcelain fingers.  "I needed a queen."

Brenda raises a weak eyebrow up at the lively man.

"Take my hand." Takyionly offers Brenda, offering  his small soft and porcelain white hand to Branda. Those fabulous and charming prince features made his demeanor turn into a trusting one towards the dying woman. He was practically a dark swan standing out the bright pool of light encompassing the swan and the water around it."Trust me."

Brenda looks at Takyionly, questionably.

"Last time I did, you broke me." Brenda said.

"This time is different." Takyionly said. "Where I come from...it is better. They can revive you; take my hand,Brenda."

Brenda used her remaining strength to take Takyionly's hand. She took his hand feeling warmer than a little bunny sleeping cozily in a child's hold. Takyionly helps Brenda up from the chair and then held her into his arms. The large window doors flew open letting in cold bothersome weather into the room. The pigeons scattered about from the ledge while one remained to the side staring at the open dull room.

"...This isn't real." Brenda said.

"It is real." Takyionly said.

Takyionly walks towards the window.

"Are you sui..sui-cidal?" Brenda asks.

"Its a gate way to my home." Takyionly said. "You had the windows closed,so, I went in through the door."

In a a gust of bright white light--while a hint of ambulance sirens came from below in  the streets--blinding Brenda. Brenda squeezed her eyes shut turning her head away from the brightness to where it is darker. Instead of being welcomed into a flower like realm where angles roamed and deceased individuals roam; Brenda found herself not there. She could the grass brushing against her ankle.

"We're here." Takyionly said, holding Brenda's hand.

Brenda opens her eyes.

"Where is here?" Brenda asks, at first.  She wasn't in Takyionly's arms. She is standing on her own two feet."Is this... heaven?"

Hadn't Brenda been on the verge of passing away?

Now, strangely; Brenda feels fine, healthy,and alive.

Brenda then realizes she is wearing a white dress that seems fasioned for winter designs and had sleeves that ended at her wrists. Brenda,by this point,had left behind the dull lazy apartment that offered no specialness to her departure. It became evident that she had left the boring life of a human being and the shell that once contained her soul. Brenda  looks up to Takyionly. Takyionly didn't wear his often typical choice attire consisting of a gray shirt and black pants.Brenda saw a gorgeous white crown carved excellent on Takyionly's raven black hair that had a few snowflakes on it. 

"It is not Heaven." Takyionly reassures Brenda.

Takyionly wore a long  black coat  of swag with metal parts strongly resembling armor that had a golden pocket watch sticking halfway out of the lower pocket.  Takyionly did look handsome; that he did.He had much modernness of Earth put to the somewhat Victorian and king look that was radiating off.

"Then...what is it?" Brenda asks.

"We're home." Takyionly replied, squeezing her hand. "Our home."

Brenda never felt so reassured leaving out the dulllacy of a boring human life.

"What's this kingdom called?" Brenda asks, seeing the summer scenery come into view. It was like a fairy tale all over again except this is real. Brenda could imagine living the remainder of her entire life in this kingdom. A place where she belonged.

Takyionly just smiled.

"You know what it is called." Takyionly said in a knowing voice. "I told you at the fair."

"I don't remember." Brenda said.  "It has been so long."

"Isegard." Takyionly said.


	28. This is a really crazy life

Joy had a vision of a multiple car wreck that was pretty much overkill adding the explosions that resulted from it. She had recognized one of the fatalities as some-one she had hit in May. It felt so long ago that her most of her 'former' family members had died, counting Carter and Oratio. Joy takes a stop to the side of the street. Her freezing hands tighten on the driver’s wheel. 

"Do you want to die?" Joy asks herself.

 A chill went down through her body. It was chillier than she currently is at the moment. Joy's hair is very much white we can tell by the street light nearby casting a good look on her. Joy looks up towards the dangling shard of crystal from the middle rear view mirror. _You don't have that many people close, you know,_ Joy reminds herself, _you have a job left. And only a few people you've acquainted._

Joy resumes driving.

_“_ _Well, then again you have a friend who makes sure you’re okay.” Joy rationalizes. “Who is somewhat of a stalker.”_

_Joy taps her fingers on the drivers wheel._

_"You'll die within a day if you do an act out of love for Loki." J_ oy recalls Mr Odd's warning.

_David had revealed to Joy that he is Mr Odd earlier that week.She also learned in that week Thor was the one solely responsible for the deaths of Oratio and Carter. It was a terrible task to walk around knowing that one god believing in love at first sight was bent on making it harder for Joy. And then again knowing through Izzy that Shannon, the woman--who Joy had connected Loki to through using the computer and making an account for him--had been murdered by some rather unexpected muggers._

_Mr Odd had placed a spell on her. Making a prime reason why not to be involved with Loki._

"He is a god after all." Joy said.  "Gods can't die.” _Loki was there when they killed Shannon,_ Joy thought, _purposely unable to do a thing but watch.I do nott know how they were able to do that on him; on a god. “_ My vision must be wrong."

The stinging image of a name line straight from a news report swept through Joy's mind. After all in three minutes the life changing event will wipe out a person earlier than they should be in this life on Earth. Joy rubs her forehead feeling nothing of a crevice but only a cold sensation from her forehead. It feels cold where-ever she goes.

“Oh screw it!” Joy said, driving faster down the lane.

She takes a sharp turn into a neighboring street that was close to Loki's current destination. Our scenery changes to ten minutes later; right into a nearly dark street that had some unique Halloween lights. Loki is seen looking down at a cell phone that had a line of text, an old text from Shannon that read ‘If you don’t come out of that house by the time I’m there, I will force you out.’ which sounded threatening when spoken out loud.

Then the phone rang showing up the words ‘Hank the immortal’ with a phone number below reading ‘359-338-3539’. There was a simple avatar of a rhino representing Hank in one solid square photograph. _Why call at this time at night?, Loki thought, I have not told Hank I’ve been visiting._ A thought entered Loki’s mind that perhaps Hank is a Psychic. Loki clicks on the red button of an upside down old fashioned phone. He slips the phone into his pocket and then heads into a local convenience store.

“So, Prawn.” Cece Hopskins, a rather tall teenager for her age, said as she leans against Prawn’s chest twisting the rope that is part of his hoody into a knot. “Strawberries or grapes?”

Cece and Prawn were by a rack that had plastic boxes carrying asortments such as Strawberries, grapes, oranges, and so on.

“Grapes are boring.” Prawn said. “I pick none.”

“B-b-b-but what about strawberries?” Cece asks.

There were Halloween decorations here and there. The store owner was reading a comic book leaning against a chair chewing on bubble gum. There were hanging decorations of bats lingering in midair attached to the ceiling thanks to invisible string. Loki had an urge to eat a bag of Cheetos and get a bottle of sprite. Loki’s eyes land on a freezer that had some ‘icecream’ obvious through a see through glass door. It was too bad he could create ice and not snow. Icecream had become a painful reminder how he was yet to control the power of snow.

“Strawberries lose.” Prawn said. “They always lose.”

“On the contrary they do not.” Loki said, taking a sprite out from the freezing and cold space.

Prawn turns his head towards Loki’s direction.

“What makes you say that, Batman?” Prawn asks.

“Blackberries.” Loki said, turning away from the doors using his elbow to shut the door.

Loki was lazy enough not to use his hand to close the doors.Very lazy.

“Blackberries are black.” Prawn said. “Black is old school.”

Loki walks forward grabbing a bag of Cheetos nearby.

“Black is a unique color that makes you twice cooler than this disgusting brown.” Loki said referring to the brown jacket that Brown is wearing. “And perhaps strawberries can get you more independent girls than a whiny chicken.”

“Whiny chicken, that’s new.” Prawn said.

“No.” Loki said. “It is quite old. Old is better.”

“Dracula man, I am not a chicken.” Cece retorts. “I am a fragile doe.” Cece shakes Prawn’s face back and forth. “Ain’t I, fluffy puppy?”

Loki looks at Prawn and Cece.

“I may not want to know how a chicken got itself aligned to a British bulldog.” Loki remarks, and then he swiftly walks past the two giving them basically a cold shoulder.

“Prawn, I didn’t notice you had a British accent.” Cece said.

Loki puts the sprite and the bag of Cheetos on the counter easily startling the store owner from the comic book. The Store Owner puts the book down and looks towards Loki. His eyes grew huge as he recognized Loki’s face right off the bat. The store owner gasps turning white and then fell to the side making a loud high unexpected squeak. Loki looks over the counter looking pretty confused yet somewhat concerned.

“Did I remind you of a vampire?” Loki asks.

The Store Owner gets up taking a pen out from his comic book and held it out to Loki.

“I am a big fan.” The store owner said.

“…Fans?” Loki asks. “You don’t resemble a device to relieve one-self.”

The store owner laughs.

“I am enthusiastically devoted to your manly hot photographs.” The store owner said. “Please sign.” Loki looks down to the sprite and the bag of Cheetos. “You can take the sprite and the Cheetos for free.”

“Gladly.” Loki said, taking the pen and wrote a little note on the cover-page: ‘To my dear disturbed ‘fan’, keep falling. –God of Mischief.’

Loki then realized what he just wrote. _You’re not an actual god,_ Loki reminds himself, _your title was revoked and so was your powers until this whole ordeal is over...In a few decades._ Loki checked the pen he had used to find out that it was a permanent marker to his horror. Perhaps that very line would come true someday along the road of eternity. That day wasn’t today. He wrote ‘From Loki Laufeysun’ right below that line and then handed the comic book back. The Store Owner gave the plastic bag that had the sprite and the Cheetos bag to Loki.

“You are the epic-est man alive.” The Store owner said, placing the paper on his chest.

“Epic-est is not a word.” Loki said.

Loki then departs through the convenience store doors. He walks down the street passing by a narrow built passage that bore a strong reminder to that very one back in Brazil. The one where Shannon died before his eyes in the hands of ugly horrid Midgardians dressed in black. They somehow had the Asgardian weaponary to injure Loki so he wouldn’t intervene in their supposedly just ‘thievery’ on cash. They only stole a life. And the wound he had gotten was gone within the day following Shannon’s death.

If it wasn’t for Shannon; Loki would still be in the house in Brazil. It was all because a Midgardian had taken his glove off and then got their hand frozen. She was the one who came when no one else would, and, had strongly insisted “Loki, you are the ice, you can undo it.You are one with the ice.” Even with his protests.

Loki looks down the street seeing a pond from afar.

“I should have refused.” Loki said. “I should have said no to going out. Just that night.”

Nothing about the death made sense.

Loki and Shannon wwere ice skating before her death. It was so much fun for one night. The last fun he would have with a red headed Midgardian. The same Midgardian Fandral had mistook for a sign that Loki had fallen in love when Loki had not.Loki kicks a street rock into the road and takes out the sprite from the bag. He takes the lid off then takes a sip from the bottle feeling the refreshment travel down his throat. It felt like that often Sprite was different stores; in taste. This sprite tasted sizzly, spicy, and sweet in contrast to the Brazillian version. The same sprite Loki had brought with him when Fandral spoke with him a day before Shannon’s death.

_"None of my concern." Loki said, walking away from Fandral._

_Fandral stops Loki by grabbing his arm._

_"What do you mean this is none of your concern?" Fandral asks. "Asgard needs someone to knock some sense into Thor!"_

_Loki forces Fandral to let go using his ungloved hand. Fandral took his hand back seeing it get a few ice crystals here and there in the palm. The shock on Fandral’s face was evident so was the confusion that typically followed a strange unknown power._

_"Thor has his own affairs to attend as King of Asgard." Loki said, turned slightly towards Fandral._

_"Sif is Thor's queen, Loki." Fandral said. "I am all that is left of the warrior's three."_

_Loki raises a brow._

_“What?” Loki said. “You’re the last?”_

_“You heard me!” Fandral said. “I am the last. I told the others, they came to the same conclusion. And we had to be eliminated by one of our trustful—“_

_"Thor would never hurt his friends." Loki said, baffled._

_"Thor gave the order." Fandral said. "And I cannot return.” He held up a key that is attached to a chain. “This is the only thing keeping me on Midgard. The only reason why Heimdall hadn’t taken me back to Asgard so Thor can finish what he started.”_

_“Why would Thor do that?” Loki asks. “Why?”_

_“Loki, Thor is not the Thor you once knew.” Fandral said. “There has been a great change in Thor.”_

_Fandral wasn’t lying. He wasn’t lying a bit to Loki._

_“Fandral, I am not Thor’s brother.” Loki said._

_“You are Thor’s brother!” Fandral said. “You are his brother.”_

_Loki sighs and then thought of ice which provoked his Frost Giant side to show. Fandral gasps stepping back startled by what he hadn’t been so familiar to. Shannon had been insisting Loki come clean to accepting who he is and where he comes from to embrace his unusual power that not many people are gifted with._

_“I am a frost giant.” Loki said, stepping forward. “Son of the very frost Giant who killed Odin.”_

_“Loki, please return to Asgard.” Fandral said, as Loki’s Frost Giant side went down. “Asgard needs you.”_

_“I am not a royal heir to Asgard.” Loki said. “I am…the heir to Jotunheim.”_

_“Odin took you in, why can’t you admit you’re in love?” Fandral asks._

_“I am not in love, Fandral.” Loki said. “I cannot make a cat into a dog.”_

_“Then why is this Midgardian calling you ‘Sweet Dracula’?” Fandral asks. “You act smitten around her.”_

_“We’re associates.” Loki said. “Her name is Shannon.”_

_“The way you light up round this Midgardian says you’re in love.” Fandral said. “Shannon is so…enticed into you. She’s willing to go into hell if you asked her and go to Asgard.”_

_“Shannon would not.” Loki said._

_“You went on an escape route from some police when you stole lots of Midgardian currency in your machine.” Fandral said. “Not many women would want to be there hollering and throwing endless varieties of bags to the police.”_

_“She’s…very unique.” Loki remarks._

_“If you’re not in love with her, then who is it?” Fandral asks, getting an alarmed Loki. “Some-one not on this Midgardian continent?” Loki didn’t seem much to talk. “Is it that Joy character?” Loki seemed much in denial. “Ah ha!”_

_“I’m not in love.” Loki said._

_“You have the signs.” Fandral said. “When was the last time you saw this Joy character?”_

_“Months ago.” Loki said._

_“And you’re still quite attracted to her.” Fandral said. “I like how you’re denying it.”_

_“I am not denying it.” Loki said._

_“I was being sarcastic, Loki.” Fandral said. “And if I take this key off. I am dead.”_

_“Doubtful.” Loki said. “You’re one of Thor’s close friends.”_

_“That’s what Hogun said to me.” Fandral said. “I had the…opportunity to be there when the others died.”_


	29. The moment where Dominos fall

_“Joy.” Bryan said.  “When was the last time you told someone ‘I love you’?”_

_Joy slid back in the chair rolling it backwards and looks up pinching at the microphone piece of the headset._

_“None of your concern.” Joy said._

_“It is when you seems to be dying of ...something.” Bryan said._

_Joy looks over to see Branthony with a black eye dart under his cubicle._

_“Bryan!” Joy yells.  “That was not necessary.”_

_“You’ve equipped yourself with a walking cane.” Bryan said. “One; it means you’re getting Gregory House’afied. Two; you’re getting paralyzed. Three; you’re dying!” He gestures over the cane leaning against Joy’s desk. “You haven’t said the words since we broke up.”_

_“Since we broke up; that means you don’t have to punch your way around to know information.” Joy argues back._

_“I am your friend.” Bryan said. “And a Norwegian refused to tell me that something was wrong. Norwegians are the most friendly people, sides to Irish and Swedes, who can carry an intelligent and smart conversation.” He points down to the floor. “There’s something wrong when they don’t come out honest.”_

_“And you’re judging people by their nationality, again!” Joy said._

_“Joy, you sound Russian.” Bryan said. “And I haven’t judged **you.** Because you’re not from Russia.”_

_“Bryan, you’re being a Buttinstky.” Joy said._

_“Telling inanimate objects don’t count for ‘I love you’.” Bryan continues as he chooses to ignore the retort from Joy. “Before your life runs out on your condition.” He lowers his voice at the mere mention of ‘condition’ to Joy. “You have to admit it; seriously.” Bryan waves his left index finger up and down. “As a friend and former boyfriend: move on.”_

_Bryan left Joy’s cubicle._

___                               __                                                   ___

Loki still had the key that Fandral had given him. Right before Fandral decided Loki wasn’t convinced by his words and his survival.Fandral was gone by the time Loki had turned around to insist he didn’t need it. The Midgardian key that belonged to an old haunted house called the ‘Winchesters mystery house’ that once belonged to a woman named Sarah Winchester. The same Midgardian who doors leading all over the place in that same haunted and possibly cursed house. Loki had the key in his wallet pocket. Loki takes his wallet out and takes the key out; the key made a perfect reflection of Loki.

Loki saw a metal bucket on a stair step.

“I don’t need this.” Loki reminds himself, tossing the key into the bucket.

Loki puts the wallet away and then continues walking down the street.

Loki’s attention is drawn down to his coat pocket that is vibrating. A classic melody was coming from the vibration radiating from the phone itself. That classic melody represented unknown calls coming from numbers that were not registered. Of course someone had to be calling right after Loki finished a bottle of sprite and a bag of Cheetos. Loki takes the phone out, presses the green button, and puts the phone against his ear.

  “Hello?” Loki said, answering the phone.  “Who told you I am back in town?”

“Fan sites!” Came Hank’s reply.  “Tell me you’ve seen the news.”

Is this why Hank had called Loki for the second time using an unknown phone number? All because he wanted to hear if Loki had seen the news. Hank is definitely one of those unusual Midgardians who can live longer than most and had unusual ‘abilities’. The exception here is that Hank is not a vampire.

“…No?” Loki said.

“There’s a news report going on about a car wreck.”  Hank said.

“If I wanted to hear about Car Wrecks, I would be at home.” Loki said. “Which I am not.”

“Joy’s jeep is in the news.” Hank goes on ignoring Loki’s reply. “It is missing the roof and the window shield is caved in. The stranger part here is that the reporter hasn’t said a thing about a driver being found in the jeep!

“So you’re saying she ‘disappeared’.” Loki said.

“Look man, if Joy was to disappear then so would her house, her cubicle decorations, and everything.”  Hank said.  “If a person was to disappear out of the blue they wouldn’t do it in the midst of a Sami-truck wreck. Joy would have been dead, but, there are no reports of a blood trail.”

 Loki stops at the window showing a collection of television sets.

“And nor is there any blood seen on the windowshield.” Hank said.  “Its…it’s like she wore a helmet or hit her head on the –“

“How do you know that it is Joy’s jeep?” Loki interrupts Hank.   

“Joy’s jeep has a Z marking on both sides.” Hank said.  “Joy made that marking herself while under the influence a couple months ago.”  Hank makes a low pitched laugh at his side of the conversation. “Oh, the joys of Office parties.”

Loki then could see what Hank is talking about.

“I witnessed Joy make the Z with her car keys.” Hank adds.

“Seriously, though, how are you so sure?”  Loki asks.

“Branthony was out with his girlfriend wearing sunglasses and saw Joy’s jeep speed on by.” Hank said. “He saw Joy through the driver’s side window. Right in the direction that a large Sami-Truck accident would happen.” Hank lets out a relieved sigh. “I needed to tell someone before I went in over my head about this weird Sami-Truck wreck.”

Loki’s phone rang again.

“I am getting another call, Hank.” Loki said. “I’ll put you on hold.”

“Loki,you can hang up o—“ Hank started to say but Loki put him on hold.

Loki puts the phone to his ear.

“I know you’re calling me for a drink at the bar, Bryan.” Loki said. “I decline your invitation.”  

Instead of hearing Bryan’s voice on the other end; there was an eerily familiar laughter that belonged to one woman only. The one and only woman Loki had decided to ‘cure’ many years ago on Asgard.

"Hello, old friend." Margret's voice came over the phone.

Loki looks in both directions in the street pretty confused at best.

"Margret." Loki said. “Where did you get this number?"  Loki normally didn’t give out his phone number to many people; basically not many people. Loki then thought about what Hank had told him. “Or should I ask; whose phone did you steal?’

Loki had only returned to Milwaukee for Shannon’s funeral. That same funeral had been only a few hours ago in the afternoon hours; it was what Shannon would have wanted. She really wanted Loki to meet her father—her mother died a few years ago—At a Christmas party in Wisconsin. If only they didn’t go out; Shannon would still be alive for that party to happen in two months.

“Not much of a friend greeting someone they ruined.” Margret said in a resentful voice. “You said that everything I knew about you was wrong. Turns out you’re the Asgardian who is wrong about themselves.” She kept pulling little straws one by one on Loki. “Do you like to go camping?”

“Margret.” Loki said, with the hint of a serious tone. “Don’t play games with me.”

Margret laughs. Loki could hear forest life from the other end; an owl’s hoot, a wolf’s howl, and what can be referred to as October exclusive animals.   _Margret is at a forest,_ Loki concludes, _in the middle of October._

“You were always the trickster.” Margret complains.  “Now, you’re popping the balloons of fun.”

“Margret, this is not a matter I’ll like to dance around.” Loki said.

Margret made a disappointed sigh.

“I should have believed you were no fun.” Margret said in an expected-knowing tone. “I am at the Kettle Moraine State Forest.To be a little more accurate; _we_ are there.” Margret’s lowered voice indicated she is looking down towards someone. “I assume you’ve been there.”

“You interfered in _a crime scene,_ Margret!” Loki said.

“Crash site.”  Margret grumbles. “It was more of a quick snatch than a death toll.”

Loki could feel sick to his stomach.

“Margret, what does anything have to do with this Midgardian?” Loki asks. “She’s a mortal!”

“You’re an idiot.” Margret said in a harsh tone.  “You’re realizing this too slow. We’re in the forest behind the Reuss Ice Age Visitor Center.” Margret makes five creepy non-trusting tsks that would suit a movie villain.  “Maybe one of us won’t be alive when you get here.”

The connection to Margret’s end came to a sudden deadline. Loki takes Hank’s call off hold and puts the phone to his ear.

“Hank, pick me up.” Loki said. “I know where Joy is.” He fiddles with his shoe at the sidewalk hearing a reply from Hank on the other end.  “I sold the car to Izzy.”

__                                    __                                           __

Margret stabs the Asgardian Dagger into Joy. 

“His offer comes only once.” Margret said, pushing the dagger in and heard Joy’s shaky painful gasp. “Mr Odd not appreciates ‘no’ as an answer.”

Joy is shaking. The pain from the infliction was tremendous. Joy could see her life flashing before her eyes. Joy is gradually slipping out of Margret’s grip.

“Sc-s-s-c-s-screw you.” Joy manages to say.

Margret parts way far enough to see Joy’s eyes are showing anguish.

“Then death would be exceptional.”  Margret said as she takes out the light blue electrifying dagger from Joy who let loose a painful scream.

There was terror in Joy’s eyes that had replaced the anguish.

“Joy?” A  not so high pitched male voice is heard from the distance.

Margret steps back enough for Joy to fell on her knees. Joy is covering the bleeding wound leaning over trembling. _A stab wound would leave her to recovery,_ Margret stood over Joy’s back with this look in her eyes. Margret didn’t plan to leave Joy with one wound. Margret uses the small dagger to stab into Joy's back three times when she had the time. She did it quickly enough that Joy was not able to scream even louder.

Joy fell over on her side on the grass floor. 

“And it is done.” Margret mutters to herself, putting the blade into a sheath.

Margret goes into the cloudy misty woods across from an injured Joy.

“Joy?” Loki calls out as he appears from the distant dark scenery.  “Joy!”

Loki came to  Joy’s side not long after came Hank.

"What--oh my--" Hank stops in his tracks. "She's--"

_“When I was supposedly dying, right there.”_ We hear Joy’s voice in the background as the two men were speaking in concerned voices _“I finally realized why Fandral was familiar.”_ Loki picks up Joy’s light and weak body that did not have a cane nearby. _“Fandral is my father. All it took was comparing some facial features between a mirror image of me and a memory of Fandral.”_

“This isn’t what I imagined myself to be doing tonight!” Hank said,as he and Loki were running towards the parking lot out of the forest.

Loki said something back to Hank that Joy did not catch. Hank got to the truck first then opened the passenger side door, and then, opened the driver’s side door and got into the driver’s seat. Hank’s hands were trembling taking out the truck keys clicking against other from his jean pocket.

“I am a.  .  .” Joy attempts to speak.

By now Joy could see the brown carpeting on the ceiling of the truck and the bright yellow square light attached in the middle. It was a very good assumption that Hank had finally started the truck  then went into  a ‘drive the speed limit of a Nascar Racer for dear emergency’ mode that made the streets pass by in a classic blur form. The passenger side door had been likely closed.

“Don’t speak.” Loki said.  “Save your breath.”

“Yo—yo--your question, Loki.” Joy said.  “I ne—n--never replied.”

Hank pulls the car door open.  Loki gets in then Hank shut the door and he went into the driver’s seat. Joy grabs at Loki’s shirt with the clear sign of blood on her fingers. Her body is trembling in fear and in dire pain.

“I—I’m a . . Dem—demi. .” Joy is trying to get the last words out.

“Save your breath for survival.” Loki said.

We hear Joy’s voice in the background as she slips into unconsciousness. _“I knew then Thor was determined to make sure Loki could never return.”_ We see Joy sitting in the seat beside Loki but he could not see her. Joy is apparently disgusted by her unconscious body that didn’t seem well at all. _“Very determined.”_

“Ew.” Joy said, acting disgusted at her own body. “I look hideous in that dresswear!”

“You get a do-over.” Odin’s voice surprises Joy.

Joy turns her head to the right and then finds the scene to be different. A golden room with a yellow table and the same old man who had a metal eye patch instead of a fake eye. There was a ‘wise’ vibe coming off from the dead former king. Joy’s skin crawled as though she is in the presence of a ghost.

“I’m not dying.” Joy said, sliding her finger on the table. “Am I?”

“It is up to you.” Odin said.

“Being vague for an old man.” Joy said. “More vague than Gandolf the gray wizard.” Odin chuckles at her reply.  “Why do you mean it’s up to me?” She looks towards the windows where Loki is demanding Hank to speed up.  “You knew who my parents were, all this time.”

“No, I did not.” Odin said. “I did not see any relevance in your past with Asgardians.” Odin taps his fingers on the golden table.  “And you are dying.”

Joy’s face did not change.

“Duh.” Joy said. “It is really obvious.”

“Your father is dead.” Odin said. “The real one.”

Joy stares at Odin.

“…What?” Joy said, after a moment or two. “You tell me you didn’t see any relevance in my past with Asgardians, and then before then, you tell me it is up to me if I want to die.” Joy narrows her eyes. “That means you want me to know, or, you’re giving me a choice.”

“Become an Asgardian or die as a Demigod.” Odin said. 

Joy became silent. She tips her head down to her hands thinking deeply about this offer. Her eyes darted back to Loki then to Odin and back to Loki. Finally her eyes shot back to the black hideous dress wear that was only worn for a special occasion. This special occasion was for a dance party. The one thing wasn’t too good at it. It was pretty much dancing.  Joy flunked at dancing. So after going to a dance party and driving back home; she had the rather sad scenario to be attacked by a lizard woman in a dress.

And get in a car wreck that surprisingly didn’t leave Joy a dire injury anywhere on the head.

 “Gods cannot die.” Joy said.

“Anything made by mortals is not effective.” Odin said.

“So I essentially become superman.” Joy summarized the whole Asgardian perk.

“And you age much slower.” Odin adds.

Joy tilts her head down looking down to the floor at what seemed to be an eternity. Joy lifts her head up back towards Odin’s direction pretty confident and ready. She seemed more than ready to go through hell.

“Is there something you want Loki to know?” Joy asks.


	30. It wasn't your fault

_Joy kisses Loki on the lips, startling  him at the door and his grip on the umbrella loosens. The hot steaming kiss is broken by no other than Joy.A light hearted feeling travels up from the heart spreading all over Loki. This feeling was something he hadn’t encountered for a very long time, not since Meredith Quill._

_Loki’s lips feel warm from the sudden steamy kiss._

_“That was .  .  .” Loki began to say. He could still feel the warmth on his lips. “Amazing.”_

_Joy steps back with a smile._

_“Perfect.” Joy said, patting on Loki’s chest. Her eyebrows had tilted downwards. “Don’t blame yourself, Loki.” Loki seems to have some form of a confused look in his eyes. “I am fine." Joy is lying to Loki; to his face. "It really wasn’t your fault Mr  Odd returned."_

_Another lie from Joy, again._

_"Mr Odd is David." Joy added._

_The name Mr Odd stood out to Loki._

_“Stop lying to me, Joy.” Loki said, in a tone that showed his hate to be confused._

_Joy lightly pats on Loki's  shoulder._

_“I am not a mortal.” Joy said. “I am…well…" She looks down to her right and then back up to Loki very so kindly. It was the kindness he hadn't seen from an average Midgardian in centuries. "I didn’t know about it until after I met you." She takes her hand off his shoulder. "I was a Demigod. My dad is Fandral, and my mother was a mortal; Georgie Joanna.”_

_The word ‘was’ seemed big beside the word ‘Demigod’._

_“Was a Demigod?” Loki asks, still holding the umbrella; apparently. “What do you mean by 'was a demigod'?”_

_Joy makes one of her best fake smiles that seemed as though she tried to make it not seem so hurtful. She then intentionally leans in and whispers into Loki’s ear. “I’m dying.”  Joy then pulls herself away from a surprised Loki then she grips on the handle to the door leading into the  warm cozy house.  “Time to wake up, pretty boy.”_

Loki wakes up in the chair in the hospital room. Loki slides up the chair. Then he feels stinging pain in his head.First Loki saw Thor and Laufey sharing a conversation. Words stood out clear to Loki that Thor was lying, and, taking over the plan for his own benefit. An image of Thor standing above Odin's body at the bed turned dark because in the next frame he witnessed Thor kill Odin.

And then he witnessed Thor kill Laufey in the same room within this vision.

"Hey Loki."

Loki takes his hand off his head and looks up towards the man.

"You." Loki said. "You are a liar,David. Or should I call you Mr Odd?" He sneers at the mention of the name. "You on purpose missed a meeting years ago, and then, you pop up just this year when I have returned!" Loki gets up from the chair. "Joy told me. I know everything; except, why you're here."

"Simple." Mr Odd said. "Your brother." He looks towards the freezing woman. "Ah, Margret has gone too far."  Mr Odd makes a light tsk. "I should have never gone to her. We were not meant to go that far. That was all Thor's doing."

Loki grabs Mr Odd by the neck and presses him up by the ugly blue wall.

"Are you saying my brother never wanted  me to return?" Loki asks.  "Tell me before I take my gloves off and decide to freeze you!"

"He's afraid you'll use the frost giants to invade Asgard and over throw him." Mr Odd said, slowly thinking a counterplan to get out of Loki’s grasp. "And your lady friend is dying." Loki narrows his eyes at Mr Odd.  "Not because of what I did to her. But what she did _for you."_ Mr Odd breaks the grasp that Loki had on him and sent him knocking against a chair. "You're a frost giant, Loki! Don't you know? You're the one Asgardian children fear at night!"

Loki gets up from the moved over chair.

"Sometimes Asgardians need monsters, not the likes of you!" Loki said. "I am afraid you're wrong.Ice cannot kill Demigods."

"I never said ice was killing her." Mr Odd reminds Loki.

Loki's  eyebrows hunched together.


	31. Revenge bent

Loki is frustrated he can't undo what happened to Joy. He  had seen a thin layer of ice glacier over grow over the apparent wounds on Joy's arms that resulted from the wreck and her forehead was remarkably clean of any scratch. Mr Odd was not in the room; mostly because Loki kind of threatened him out by a mere remark Loki would freeze Mr Odd so hard he would never get out of it.

The Asgardian man who had placed this spell on Joy is leaning against the wall near to the door.Mr Odd knew that someone was in that room just waiting to make their move. So without Loki knowing Mr Odd had put a spell on the curtains making them a solid glass formation that would not allow the individual out, not even claws can go through them. And what about Hank? Obviously Hank had kept his word about seeing Mr Odd again in his house. Mr Odd hadn’t stepped foot into the house in months.

“Who are you here for?” A nurse with a high pitched voice asks.

Mr Odd snaps out of his train of thought and notices the young pretty blonde nurse. She had eyebags under those pretty and trusting eyes. The Nurse is obviously keeping herself awake in a skilled manner that made it seem yawning was something of the past. Not many Midgardians that Mr Odd had met in his lifetime could do that.

“I have a friend who’s spending alone time with a patient in the room.” Mr Odd said. “He requested I stay out.”

That was somewhat of the truth, actually.

“Oh.” The nurse gasps. “The man who brought her in.” She lightly shook her head and her blonde hair reminded Mr Odd of a lion’s mane. “I don’t know how a woman like her can hang on after being in a Sami-truck wreck.”

Mr Odd raises his dark eyebrows.

“She was in a wreck?” Mr Odd asks. _Of course,_ Mr Odd thought, _she saw something that would happen to Loki. Joy prevented it._ The hospital is not so noisy because there were few people in the morning hallways. There is a clean pristine reception desk down the hallway ending at the third room to the left.

The nurse nods.

“Quite sad, really.” The Nurse said, with sad eyes. “The Doctors say she doesn’t have long live. She’s just dying, and they don’t know what is causing it.”

“Excuse me, but I heard she wasn’t found in a wreck.” Mr Odd said.

The nurse wiggles her little nose.

“Strange.” The Nurse said. “The police said she was in it.” The nurse looks towards the closed door. “Now, that you’re talking about it; this man was the one who brought into the ER in the first place.”

“Perhaps he knows more about her wounds.” Mr Odd said.

The nurse tilts her head.

“I didn’t catch your name.” The Nurse said. “What is it?”

Mr Odd was reluctant to tell a Midgardian. Midgardins could easily die off. Though she would never be able to meet up with him; especially for what may happen today. On this day that felt ‘disastrous’ ish. Mr Odd acts a little shy about his name. A name that may be called into question when the Midgardians realize ‘David’ was in fact an Asgardian.

“Odd Farroldson.” Mr Odd said.

“I never heard of a unique name like yours.” The Nurse admits. “My brother would be jealous of you.”

“How bad is his?” Mr Odd asks.

“Jeremy Hopper Sauce.” The Nurse said.

Mr Odd laughs.

“And yours must be Alice Hopper.” Mr Odd said.

The Nurse shook her head with a small smile.

“No.” The Nurse said. “I never tell my name to a random hospital visitor.”

The door creaks open so the Nurse leans to the right taking her attention off Mr Odd for only a second. The Nurse turns her head left to where Mr Odd had been standing making a somewhat strange conversation. In fact Mr Odd was not there. The Nurse’s eyes blink and she stands there trying to make sense of what had just transpired. Loki came out of the room closing the door behind him acting quiet.

The Nurse is pointing at the wall beside the door with her mouth open in a small ‘o’ shape. Loki notices this strange acting from the Nurse.

“Are you sleep walking?” Loki asks.

The Nurse clears her throat.

“N-n-no.” The Nurse denies shaking her hands. “I was…I was just talking to a man r—right here!” She regains her composer. “I didn’t hear him walk away, that’s all.” She takes a breath attempting to calm herself. A look of doubt appears on the Nurse’s pretty face. “Maybe I was sleep walking; been up all night.” The nurse conjures up a smile. “Have a good day.”

The Nurse quickly walks down the hallway.

Loki went the opposite direction.

Our scene returns to the room; Mr Odd appears right by the second chair across from the hospital bed that has Joy. Mr Odd points his right hand at the glass shaped curtains then presses his two fingers together sending a large band of various blue shades in a carpet similar cloud towards the curtains. The carpet shades of blue struck the curtain making an outline of an individual hiding in there. The glass turns into fabric.

“Margret.”  Mr Odd said in a knowing and unpleasant tone. Mr Odd lowers his right hand. “I know you’re there.”

Margret had become transparent enough to hide behind the curtains just to watch Loki’s reaction toward this turn of events and to possibly kill him. Margret became solid walking out of the curtain’s protection. There was an ink of evil in Margret’s eyes; beyond what kind of evil that grew in Mr Odd’s heart. Mr Odd’s face turns grim, serious, and ticked. To describe his face changing emotions would be like describing the sun burning above earth.

“Joy refused.” Margret said.

The door to the room is shut. Mr Odd approaches Margret somehow managing to keep his cool. Next we see Mr Odd slap Margret instead of punching her. The fury that he had was being cooled down thanks to that anger relief blow.

“Ow.” Margret said, rubbing her cheek.

"You did not have to ask the Demigod to be part of a discarded plan."  Mr Odd said. "I told you; that plan is no longer on the menu."

Margret frowns.

  “Is this how you thank a mutant?” Margret asks.

“No.” Mr Odd said.  “I never asked you to _hurt_ the Demigod.”

“You asked me to make hell in the prince’s life.” Margret said. “And that is what we’ve been doing.”

Mr Odd steps back from Margret.

“So…you..”  Mr Odd looks away from Margret to his right shaking his head. He looks back towards her. “Tell me you were not part of Shannon’s death.”

“I was.”  Margret said. “It is all part of the plan…Right?” She waves her index finger in a circle above her left hand. “To intrude in Loki’s journey on love and prevent him from finishing it.”

Mr Odd did not approve of her version of the plan. The last part wasn’t part of the plan.

“We were not supposed to kill over not wanting him to fall in love.” Mr Odd said.  “Your efforts…” Mr Odd pauses. “Who else did you kill?” Mr Odd raises his voice coming much closer towards Margret corning her. “Who else did you _kill_!”

“Ginger, Ginger Cotton.” Margret said.

Mr Odd grabs Margret by the shoulders and slams her into the wall making a big imprint that has some cracks and maybe some hair being stuck into the wall.Mr Odd’s fury is something that is not easily described.

“Why in the realm of Muspelheim did you do that?” Mr Odd asks.

“She was going to tell Loki your real name.” Margret said, trying to pry Mr Odd’s hands off her shoulders.

Mr Odd presses Margret harder against the wall.He pinches Margret’s fingers so she lowered her scaled hands with a ‘You are an unreasonable Asgardian’ reaction growing across her very reptile-humanoid face. Mr Odd’s eyes had what many can describe as a potful of hot lava glowing brightly in a dark cauldron.

“I have known Ginger longer than you, selfish lizard.” Mr Odd said. “She had the writing of chicken scratch. Ginger was out of touch _with technology,_ Margret _!”_ He placed great emphasis on the ‘technolgy’ part. “I would have made Ginger a mute!”

“There is such thing as sign language.” Margret said.

“And Loki does not understand sign language.” Mr Odd harshly said. “Ginger was a good friend of mine. And you decided…to end her life without talking to me!” Mr Odd lets go of Margret and steps away far enough that she landed on the floor. “You disgust me.”

Margret gets up trembling but still alright.

“You mentioned to Loki that she is dying, Farrold.” Margret said. “You expected someone to die in this hell.”

“I didn’t expect _bystanders_ to die.” Mr Odd said. “Bystanders were not meant to die during our intervention.” Mr Odd points to Joy’s unconscious body on the white hospital bed. “This Demigod is the only one who was meant to. You disregarded our main mission…”

“To make sure that Loki does not learn how love feels.” Margret finishes for Mr Odd.  

“Love is a _promise_ , not an emotion.” Mr Odd said, seeing Margret’s face turn into a ‘no’ expression. “When you care about someone so much, you make a promise to always care about them no matter what. And I am afraid what I was hired to do is _happening_.” Mr Odd is right across from Margret and in front of the clipboard loomed on the foot of the bed. “What you do next will change everything. Everything I’ve done to prevent this!”

Margret hisses then somehow apparates to the door.

“I will make sure Loki never learns.” Margret said.

“Don’t you dare—“ Mr Odd starts but Margret interrupts.

“I will.” Margret sharply interrupted Mr Odd. “I did it before. I can do it twice. Frost Giants are easy to take down.”

Mr Odd is furious.

"That was not my mission!" Mr Odd reminds  Margret.  "I am not an assassin."

Margret made a little creepy laugh.

"It is my mission." Margret said. "My mission alone."

Margret opens the door with a veil over her face and closed the door behind her. Mr Odd had never felt so cripple in his life. A plan that he had meticulously created to make sure that only two were affected for the meantime had been crippled.Mr Odd gazes towards Joy's body figuring out how to make sure this revenge bent lizard mutant doesn't compromise the mission. Mr Odd puts his hands on the foot of the bed and had his eyes lowered towards the floor.

Loki was not meant to die in any of this.

Now, Mr Odd had to fix a mistake.

"You have two choices." Mr Odd said, lifting his head up from the floor's direction. "I am well aware you can hear me, Demigod." His grip on the foot of the bed made a crack grow. "I can make your pain feel mute, only allow movement, but you won't be able to speak, and this is for a limited time.”

There was no response from the not-awake-body.

"Your wounds are frozen." Mr Odd said. "And they can be healed in Asgard." Mr Odd pauses for a moment there. "But you...You are dying. That is what cannot be stopped by the healers."  Mr Odd turns the clipboard into a napkin. "Your first choice; you can stay in the bed and die. Second choice; you can stop Margret. You can stop her from killing him."

A trail of blue magic is seen crawling from Mr Odd's white gloves.

"I am sure you know who Margret is going to kill." Mr Odd said as the hospital clothes that Joy is wearing had changed into typical clothes that she would wear during the day. "You may need a reminder, after all. You were the one who hit Loki." Mr Odd looks towards the window, and then, back to her. "I'll give you a little something to help you know where they are."

We see Joy's eyes open but they were glowing a bright blue.


	32. Freezing confrontation

"Sweet home Alabama!" Hank sang with the radio while driving down the city road in his brand new amazing black-silver truck.

Snowflakes landed on the window shield. Hank turns on the windshield-wipers merely dismissing the very strange natural snowflake as part of climate change going wacky. _Strange weather likes to occur where it should not happen,_ Hank thought with an eye roll _._ A rush of snow collided against the window shield making it seem so blurry that it reminded Hank of going through an endless car wash. The heat inside the truck is pretty considerably warm. This definitely is not a weird spell of climate change at all.

"What the heck?" Hank said, quizzically looking up at the window shield.

Then a woman hit the window shield. Well what looked the face of a woman who had the characteristics of a lizard. Hank swerves towards the left spinning in a complete circle screaming at the unexpected lizard woman face. We all know who this is; Margret. The incredibly fast driving force sent Margret flying off landing on the sidewalk.

Hank stops the truck looking scared and frightened.

There were other cars doing the same in the sudden blizzard, and had parked to the side of the road. _Could this be Loki’s doing?,_ Hank rationalizes, _Well there is a woman lizard getting up like hitting the window shield so I’ll say yes._ Margret takes out a vibrant sword that had a blade part glowing blue which made it stand out in the partially blinding winter storm happening in this part of Milwaukee.

“Come out, Frost Giant!” Margret yells. “Come out and fight me properly!”

Hank looks over his shoulder to the driver’s side truck door and saw Loki somewhat in the snow pattern that is slowing down. He walks forward making a long sword that had uneven and wicked sides designed in a way that resembles a warrior-sword-built-in-design-of-a-decorative-epic-snowflake beyond typical proportions. When Loki came very clear enough to see Hank was not very surprised what he saw. Loki had blue skin, strange facial markings, and red eyes that stood out from the slow snow fall. Loki’s grip on the handle is tight, and, apparently gloveless.

The whole sword is made out of hardened and solid ice that wouldn’t break when going through a body.

“Frost Giants have names.” Loki retorts.

“Horrible names!” Margret said, charging right towards Loki.

Loki easily takes a step to the side merely making Margret stumbled forwards right past him.

“You missed.” Loki said waving his sword in mid-air while backing off.

“Die already!” Margret shouts charging towards Loki

Margret and Loki disappeared in the winter’ish snow storm. Hank could see that the narrow passages between buildings were slowly get a large accumulation of snow is making a mountain slope against the dead ends. Not many people came down those narrow passages at the East Side Lake Front in Milwaukee despite it somewhat giving off a Las Vegas vibe at night where lights were the center attractions that garnered people like moths. Last night Loki had told Hank all about Margret; but Hank didn’t figure that Margret really had become part lizard.

“Woah.” Hank said.  “Loki was right.”

Hank turns his head towards the radio that is part of the dashboard.He changes the station from the ‘Sweet home Alabama’ song to a different one and turns up the volume that was so high that the one random out of song by Frank Sinatra startled Hank. This song is ‘Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow’ that sounded more fitting to play it in December. But in the middle of a currently on going and out of place snow storm logic could not be applied to this very situation since it is being initiated by a ‘Frost Giant’ apparently. The window shield wipers were still going so Hank could see if the fight would slide by on the trucks hood.

“Be patient, Padawan.” Hank said, tapping his fingers on the comfy driver’s wheel.

Hank had this odd expectancy to have a fight go across the hood to the engine of his vehicle since aging typically had become an immortal trend to say no. It wasn’t Hank’s choice but rather his own mistake to go after something that had been lost. Hank could feel getting a little ancy sitting there doing nothing but wait while listening to Frank Sinatra.

Then  Loki slid right  across the hood leaving a visible scar on the hood.

Loki summoned a long bridge like slope to make his landing softer and he regains his footing holding a sword that had lost the sharp tip. Sure Loki had managed to injure Margret in the fight that not many Midgardians could see. Yet he was not as invisible many people may think because he has a  bleeding slash on his shoulder that was already beginning to get clotted  right off the bat.Margret lands on the roof of a car holding the sizzling Asgardian blade that appears unfaltered by the slice struck through the ice-y sword.

“Give up, Frost Giant.” Margret said. “Let me win and get this over with.”

“I refuse.” Loki said.

“Like your ‘girlfriend’?”  Margret asks.  “She didn’t stand a chance with those Muggers.” She jumps off landing on the road. “Expecially with the weapons I handed them to get their mission accomplished.”

It was Margret. It was Margret who arranged Shannon’s death.

Loki’s blade regains the sharp point. Anger is present on Loki’s face and very ticked off at the knowledge that he had been given. The one and only Asgardian to be given a lifesaving spell had turned around to take a life in revenge for Loki taking away her normalcy. To have skin that wasn’t that of a Lizard, Fingernails that were not claws, and feet that were strangely shaped that it would be hard to decide if Margret is from another planet or a realm.

“So it was you!” Loki said.  “You are the one responsible for Shannon’s death!”

“Why don’t you join the whiny Midgardian?”  Margret offers, and then attacks Loki.

Loki uses the icy sword to block the attack from Margret’s sword and then struck a hard blow against Margret by pressing his sword against her sword that they collided against the side of her forehead. Margret staggers back with a hateful hiss. The only one he wanted to kill right now is standing right in the road. The anger Loki can feel is summoned to make the whole scenery outside their fight into a tough blizzard that would not allow a Midgardian to see the fight much longer.

“I’ve learned a couple things from Midgard.” Loki said. “And it is that a killer does not get away with a murder.”

“You’ve been brainwashed.” Margret said.

“Not really.”    Loki said. “Being brainwashed is equivalent to listening hours of conspiracies.”

Margret then attempts to attack Loki, but the Frost Giant manages to knock the Asgardian blade out of her grip. The Asgardian blade landed to the road with a light metal _klang._ Loki held the sword’s tip right below Margret’s chin dangerously pointed to the area that is not the safest place to aim under the chin and would cause a lot of bleeding.

“Hesitant?” Margret asks, raising a black eyebrow.  “I thought you were fueled by vengeance.”

“I am better than you.” Loki said, lowering his sword.  “I don’t do that.”

Margret is surprised at first.

“You will when I am through with you!”  Margret retorts grabbing the snow-icicle blade from Loki without him expecting that to happen with the slightest. She points the sword straight back at the frost giant. “Can we please get this over with, now?”

“No!” Loki said, sending Margret away using a gust of snow.

Margret uses her talon-protective gearless boots to stop her in the road. Lizard claws did come in handy to gain momentum though now she is pretty much about twelve steps away from Loki which wasn’t far considerably. Margret could feel annoyed by Loki’s rather useless frost Giant moves.

In the proceeding fight; Margret managed to catch Loki off-guard by using the power of snow against him. It was an unexpected move but that was what Margret counted on to get this plan into motion. Loki shields himself using his left arm and turned his head away his eyes closed expecting for imminent impact.Loki expected his arm to summon an ice shield that would break when the sword struck through it and to strike through his chest then pretty much end his life. It would be all over except for the winterstorm that could only be stopped by him. Instead Loki heard what sounded like a blade shatter into pieces unexpectedly. Frost Giant swords usually don't shatter right in the middle of a potential life ending move.

“No!” Margret sharply shrieks.  “No! This cannot be possible.”

Loki’s eyes open as he turns his head to see what had prevented the sword from killing him. He backs up seeing a frozen woman standing acting like a shield. The frozen woman looks like a stone statue not a human who had become covered in ice in the middle of winter. She bore a strong resemblance to Joy. Through the lightly falling snow flakes Loki walks around to see the woman’s face.

Loki stops, actually baffled for once.

That was Joy.

Not in a hospital gown, but in her own usual typical choice wear that didn’t involve winter gear; such as gloves, hat, ear muffs, and a coat.  He steps back taking in the fact that a Demigod had risked their life to save his. Loki could see that the frozen-statue spell was made by him so many months ago.

“Look what you’ve done.” Margret said.

Loki turns away from the frozen Statue of Joy.

“No, it is what you’ve done.” Loki said. “She wouldn’t be here if you didn’t…”  Loki pauses looking down for a moment there figuring out that Margret and Mr Odd were working together on this one cause. “You…are an assassin!”

“It’s a vendetta I am proud to be on.” Margret said.  “We’re not playing chess, Frost Giant.”

“Joy wouldn’t be here.” Loki said, stepping to the side. “If it wasn’t…for me?” He looks towards Joy feeling unsure about saying at first though he held his hand up expecting Margret to attack making a large cone shaped icicle force field that made Margret fall back. “Excuse me,” Loki is tapping on his chin rather slyly. “Was this vendetta supposed to prevent me from…realizing this?”

A green cloudy like strand of magic came from Loki’s hand that summoned the Asgardian blade to him; Basically Loki ends the winter storm that is specifically in this large street. The snow turned into a massive herd of butterflies that blocks our view to what will happen between Loki and Margret.Exotic and beautiful butterflies pass by the window shields with parts of their wings showing some snow flake characteristics that awed many of the drivers in the street including Hank who is reeling in the beauty.

In fifteen minutes the magnificent beauty had despaired just like that, except for a knock on Hank’s driver’s side of the of the door.Hank turns his head to see Loki, again, but this time holding a unresponsive Joy.Hank did not know in the truck bed that Loki had managed to tie up Mr Odd and hook in him while everyone was so busy in fact there is a deceiving cloud on the truck bed that is only effective on Midgard  not on Asgard.

From afar we see the remainments of Margret’s clothes and what seemed to be smoke drifting off from them. It is easy to conclude that Loki decided to put aside what he had said earlier and let Margret have it.

“I need to borrow your truck.” Loki said.

“..Why?” Hank asks.

It was strange in fact how Hank was at one moment in the driver’s seat and then in the next he was in the passenger’s seat. Hank became so sure that Loki had used magic on him to get what he really wanted. Hank could see Joy in the backseat buckled in; with two seat belts keeping her in place. Hank saw outer space and that Loki is making his truck go through a tube space thing leading to another place.

Hank assumed it was a bridge it was a tube bridge because of the length.

 “Loki,you’re driving my truck through a bridge.” Hank said.  “A space bridge in fact!”

“This is a life and death matter.” Loki said, feeling giddily inside that he was literally taking a Midgardian to Asgard without their consent.

Loki hadn’t felt this happy since ice-skating with Shannon.


	33. A Decisive Fight

The next that Hank knew they were in a golden magnificent and glorious kingdom that elves could envy and so would the building designers from Earth. Hank gasps at the realms beauty as the truck is through an empty street probably used when riding out on horses to the bifrost which didn’t make sense when the best and logical mean of going was through walking.The sound of Mr Odd’s body being shifted from side to side at the back in ropes didn’t help much.

“Loki, you’re gonna make my truck run outta gas!” Hank said, as Joy’s body is somehow still buckled in at the back seat.

“Why do you worry about gas when I have magic?” Loki said, wiggling his eyebrows. “I can make your truck into a monster truck!”

“Don’t you dare.” Hank said.

“Or I could make it into a red truck with an engravement written in Latin saying ‘Immortal’ with the snap of my fingers.” Loki goes on. “I could make your wheels into bling, turn the hood into a wheel burrow, and make this driver’s wheel _much_ bigger.”

“Don’t go insane on me.” Hank said.

“I already am insane.” Loki said. “Haven’t you noticed the speedometer?”

Hank’s eyes go wide as he saw the speed limit Loki is going.

“Don’t wreck my car, Loki.” Hank warns Loki

“I will.” Loki gleefully said, his green lagoon eyes became brighter very so mischievously.

“Loki!” Hank said. “It’s gonna be hard to explain how my truck has a lot of bling to it with any chicks!”

“Easy; it got a little upgrade.” Loki said.

Loki drove through the doors startling many of the Asgardians in the throne room. Hank is staring off into the very much god like room and how everyone nearly and absolutely looks perfect for a sculpture carving. All the men appealed more handsome than the men on Earth as far as Hank is concerned. Loki gets out the truck leaving it running.

“B-B-Brother?” Thor said. “You’re back so quick!”

Loki did not seem happy.

“There is a Demigod in the back seat,in the truck bed is a Asgardian who goes by the name Mr Odd, and you, Thor, have enlisted others to thwart in my journey.” Loki said. “You’re a murder!” The Asgardians who were there are stunned by Loki’s accusation. “You killed your own father, and then killed mine to cover it up, and have conducted treason!”

Thor laughs at Loki’s accusation.

“Brother, what makes you believe this?” Thor asks, sitting up from the throne.

Hank sticks his head out the window.

“I witnessed your assassin nearly attempt killing your brother!” Hank said. “And then Joy stepping in.”

“That is not evidence.” Thor said with a grimace.

“But witnessing you do it red handed is evidence!” Loki said. “What I do not get is you killing father. And then trying to kill me!” Loki points to himself. “I never wanted to be king. Someone take the Demigod in the backseat to the healers! The one behind the midgardian male.”

Thor arranged for a private conversation with Loki. Joy was taken by the Healers to another room leaving Hank in the throne room. There was an odd level of greatness in the throne room that felt so majestic and better than Midgardian culture. It was if he was in the presence of a mighty corrupted king whose heart had become black as death. Nothing did not feel right standing across from the throne. The throne room itself felt majestic but not the chair across from Hank.

“Drive your machine out of the throne room.” One Asgardian guard said.

“It is called a truck, old timers.” Hank said, driving the truck backwards through the open doors.

“Weird machine must not be throne room.” The 2nd Asgardian guard said.

“Man, these guys must hate new technology.” Hank mutters to himself, and then he was out o the throne room. “Happy now?”

Hank saw the gas tank is still full, thankfully.

There was a bad feeling resting in his stomach.

“Damn it.” Hank said, turning the wheel. “I always have to be that guy who gets the psychic feeling.” Hank sighs tapping his forehead on the top of the driver’s wheel. “Why do I have to be the friend who cares too much about belongings?” He props his chin on the top merely using his head leisurely to go down the empty hallway being lazy not to push the truck. “Joy is one lucky woman.”

_                                                 __                                               ___

…Five Asgardian Minutes later…

…Bifrost…

They supposed brothers entered into a fight. Though Heimdall is taking a rest when the fight landed in the Bifrost. One can very much assume that Thor intended to destroy Jotunheim using the spear and magic that he had recently learned. During their fight Loki had admitted to Thor that he cared about Joy; Demigod or not. Their fight landed mere feet away from the bifrost right on the rainbow bridge.

“Thor!” Loki yelled, pinned down by the hammer. “What are you doing?”

Thor looks over his shoulder wearing a smile that wouldn’t usually make comes across his clean bristlene face.

“I am doing you a favor.” Thor said, summoning the hammer back.

“Thor, don’t!” Loki shouts.

Thor smiles.

“For Asgard!” And then Thor slammed his hammer into the Bifrost floor.

The entire bifrost is thrown into destruction as Loki’s screech “No!” is heard. The brothers are sent flying across the rainbow bridge with pieces and scrap metal from the Bifrost. It could be almost defined as sliding-fall rather than flying. A blade appears in Loki’s right hand so he jabbed it into the Rainbow Bridge beneath him.The Knife slowed down Loki’s fall near the broken half of had been originally the threshold to the Bifrost.

Thor came fast—really fast—from the destruction’s massive force effect.

“Thor!” Loki grabs Thor’s free hand—that wasn’t holding the hammer—before he fell out of his reach.

“Let go.” Thor orders Loki.

“I won’t.” Loki said. “You’re my _brother_. I won’t let go of someone who means the realms to me.”

“And that Demigod?” Thor said, with a glare. “Would you do the same if it had been two of us?”

“Don’t make me choose over a fictional—impossible, I might add—catastrophy.” Loki said, as the knife is slipping out of the tight space in the RainBow bridge. “And she has _a name._ “

Loki’s grip on Thor’s hand loosens. Loki’s knife lost momentum into the Rainbow Bridge so it slid out than he had expected. However right in the nick of time before two casualities could be lost thanks to one wrecked portal Hank catches Loki’s hand. Hank looks as if he had gotten the exercise of an athlete on a very important marathon sweating beads of sweat.

“Got it!” Hank said, pulling back. “Woah, you two are light as a feather.”

Thor’s face became a grimace. His hand slipped out of Loki’s smaller hand.

“Brother!” Loki yells, as Thor went into the big destructive worm hole like cloud and disappeared with it. “No!”

A huge shock wave sent the two flying forwards across the rainbow bridge until the guard wall set up on the right hand side had stopped them. Hank’s hair is a mess. The look is very ‘what the hell just happened?’ esque. Loki is trembling, sad, and comprehending what had just happened. A puff of visible smoke appeared where the portal had once been.

All Loki could think about was; Thor is dead.

“So, that was your bro’?” Hank asks.

Loki sadly sighs.

“We’re…not related.” Loki admits. “I was adopted. I am the son of the former king to Jotunheim. A realm that does not have a king.” Loki did not sound proud of this tid bit. “Thor is the real heir to rule Asgard, well; at least he was supposed to be.” Loki voice is low not regardably high as if he was better than everyone. “All that is left is an orphan meant to be a spare.”

“Loki, you’re not a spare.” Hank said. “Spares are the ones that come in handy; just in case. You were unexpected and a welcome addition to the family. You know, most orphans would be envying you for having the opportunity unite two kingdoms.”

Loki turns his head towards Hank raising a brow.

“It is only logical, man.” Hank said. “A great king doesn’t come out of someone who expects to be a king. It is the unexpected people that count. And adopting the heir to another kingdom, then later on, that realm is kingless. This means you were _meant_ to be a king.”

Later on we see that Loki has Hank returned, using one of his doubles and some disguise that wouldn’t catch Asgardian attention. The passage Loki knew too well was secretive from most individuals on Asgard. Loki was unsure about being king and it didn’t seem that very happy living with the knowledge that three of the best warriors on Asgard were dead.Loki had the dreadsome task to tell Frigga that Thor is dead.


	34. Epilogue

Frigga enters the room. The room where those who could not be healed were left to die on their own. The healers were not proud of their inability to prevent what is killing Joy to stop in its tracks. To some people this is a different form of hospice care except Joy is dying not painfully but little and little under unknown causes .Joy did not need hospital equipment to help her live the last moments.

"He-Hello." Joy said, dying on the bed.    "You must be Frigga."

"Yes." Frigga said with a nod. "Good to meet you, Frandralidottir."

At first Joy is happy but then a confused reaction replaced that.

"What does the last part mean?" Joy asks.

"Daughter." Frigga said.

"And Asgardian culture beats Midgardian culture by a punch, again." Joy said with a weak laugh.

Frigga gently smiles at Joy.

"Odin had his reasons." Frigga notes.  "But you were not expected."

Frigga and Joy share a light conversation. They were both aware Joy didn’t have long to live even after the healers had healed her.Joy could feel her bones feel so soft and relaxed from the intense coldness that had plagued them. Frigga knew Joy had much potential in her to live on longer than most Midgardians, and, become a Demigod queen An Demigod queen who could care when Loki wouldn’t care.

Joy feels content with her life.

Frigga leaves the room.

Shortly thereafter in what seemed like fifteen minutes; in came Loki. There was a brighter glow about him. He seemed younger and god-like. Joy could tell there was a change in Loki not by his ‘I am better than you’ stride and a glint of a lieful of doubt in his green eyes. It is safe to say Joy read him like a book when normally she could not do the same to others.

"The Healers told me you don’t have long to live.” Loki said.

"Don’t we all?” Joy said, with a small laugh.   "I know you're scared about being king, Loki."

"I am not." Loki lied.

A slow and weak smile grew across Joy’s face.

"That's the man I hit with my jeep." Joy said. "You're going to unite both realms? Show the people who you are and your gift?"

"My gift as a monster; that is not a gift." Loki said. "The people will be _scared_ of me."

"Come down to my level, please." Joy said.

Loki complies.

"Loki,why would people not listen to a wise-mischievous man?" Joy asks.

"Because he is the monster from the bedtime stories." Loki said.

“Even the mischievous people can be the wisest.” Joy said. "You're not a bed time story, Loki." Joy tells Loki as she takes his hand. "I love you, the people for sure will feel the same for you over time, and you're...so young." She squeezes his soft and warm soft hand. "So full of life."

"You could be full, of life, too." Loki said.

"This spell cannot be undone, Loki." Joy explains to Loki, seeing he did not understand her refusal. "It was put on me by Mr Odd. The Healers told me that reversing the...death sentence would place permanent damage. I wouldn't be this woman who sees a king in her presence."

"...I ...don't understand." Loki said.

"Your face is handsome, blue or pale, it doesn’t matter.” Joy said with her dying breath. “Now, go out there and unite those two realms! Be the king who I risked my life for."

Courage was in her voice, a stubborn attitude that wouldn't last until death, and her accepting view of death seemed so sad to see her life fading away before his eyes. Risking her life and all wasn't a show but it was an act of love. _She's dying like a supernova,_ Loki thought, _why would Father do this to me?_

"I ..." Loki was startled.  _Who told her?_ , Loki thought, _my mother would never tell a dying Asgardian._   "I didn't tell you I was--"

"You didn't have to."  Joy said. "I figured it out on my own. If I was someone else, born as a Asgardian, and totally a lucky chick..." Her eyes were becoming cloudy, her grip was becoming loosen on Loki's hand, and her eyes became carefree-happiness. "I’ll love you unconditionally…”

And then she died with this bright joyful light in her eyes.The squeezing from her hand had ended. All that was on the bed across from Loki was a dead shell that once housed life.He had more anger for one death than any he had witnessed before. He left the room leaving the healers in a group behind the second door.

He came to the lone cell that Mr Odd resided in.

"Came for a visit?" Mr Odd asks, tapping his shoes together.

"You _killed_ her." Loki said.

Mr Odd smiles at the slow deduction Loki had finally figured.

"You're slower than Thor." Mr Odd said. "It took him a decade to figure out what the meeting was for."

Loki held his hand out towards the cell.

"I should have done this long ago." Loki said as a twirling and swirlix of green energy flowed through the shields right towards Mr Odd. "This is for everyone who died because of you."

We see Mr Odd's collapse to the ground getting sores all over it and appear to have been in a contagious bio-hazard Lizard nest for at least a week.Loki watches Mr Odd die--alone--trying to ease the pain and stop it. Loki made the pain worse for Mr Odd. He just wanted Mr Odd to die in the most utter most horrible pain magic could ever inflict with magic.

Eventually Mr Odd is dead.

The contagious sores disappear but the injuries that Mr Odd had done to himself--leading to his death--had not.

"No one will ever die because of him, again." Loki said to himself walking away from the lone-some cell that had a dead body inside.

Later that week he would be crowned as; Loki Laufeyson, the Allfather. King of Asgard and Jotunheim. He could feel the power that once went through Odin; and it was his. Lokipower; power that required a deep sleep for one Asgardian day in the winter time. It was basically Lokisleep.One day there would be a Lokison or a Lokidottir to inherit the throne.He was surprised how the Asgardians acted contrary to how he originally thought.

But those responsibilities did not stop Loki from returning Joy's body to Midgard and have her funeral.

"Thank you." Hank said.

"I am not really here." Loki said.

Hank smiles a little.

"Don't tell the others." Hank said.

"I will not tell them why I've left." Loki said.

Hank unexpectedly hugs Loki's double.

"Thank you for being here." Hank whispers enough for only Loki to hear. And then he ended the hug. "Joy would be impressed you actually did it." Hank wipes off a tear. "We had a betting pool up you wouldn't attend another funeral that was from floor 19."

"I did attend the last one." Loki notes.

"You didn't." Hank said. "We ever saw you."

"I was there, Hank." Loki said, watching Jake put a flower on the coffin. "You never saw me."

Eventually it was Loki's turn to put a rose on the coffin.He looks down to the open part of the coffin that showed Joy's eternal young and beautiful cute face.To him, she could have woke up and asked Loki why he looks so sad on a bright summer day. Was he actually tearing up thinking about this? Instead of putting a rose on the coffin; Loki put a set of car keys into  Joy's coffin.

Loki looks down to Joy.

"You are a good driver." Loki said. "I heard every word."

Loki walks away from the coffin and to long row of seats that were actually occupied. He came to the last one at the back making a tricky mirage for the human eye. He didn't want to stay there for the burial. Leaving the keys into her coffin was chilling enough.

Loki came to a distance away from the funeral going on. Where he had stopped there were rows of tombstones similar to the way that dominos re set up except these stones were not meant to topple over to the side become of some little wind. A few of the graves had flowers looming to the side, some had little flags, and other items.

"Watching from afar, eh?" J asks.

Loki looks over his shoulder to see a aged older woman in her mid-thirties.

"I am not good with funerals." Loki said.

J  is in a white dress and leans against a tombstone.

"Me too." J said, holding a big group of flowers. She had on this fancy-dancy white hat that had a black band wrapped around the mountain part of the hat. "I didn't figure death would be so boring."

"Life is too short." Loki said, turning his head back towards the funeral.

"Sounds like you knew the lady." J said.

"Feels like I knew her before I even met her." Loki said.

"Maybe you did." J said. "Did you get to say goodbye?"

Loki didn't need to think.

"No." Loki said with a head shake "I never did say goodbye."

"Maybe she wanted to say a proper goodbye." J suggests.

Loki turns his head towards J but she was not there. A smile grew on Loki's face as though he understood what who he  had been speaking to. He looks down towards the tombstone--which was someone else--that had collections of flowers recently added.

"Goodbye, Joy." Loki said. "It was nice knowing you."

Loki turns away from the grave. A bright yellow water-fall formation in a circle surrounds Loki then he is gone in the next minute leaving behind the rows of grave. We see Hank had left the funeral tent, and he looks around only to realize Loki had left. _Typical gods, leaving before a short goodbye,_ Hank thought, _That’s gods for you_. Hank looks up to the sky putting his left hand into his left pocket.

“I’ll see you in the next century, Loki!” Hank yells at the sky waving his right hand.

The end.


End file.
